Belgium is ready to play Belarus on Wednesday for the first qualifying game in Group G on the Road to Euro-2017. The Belgian Cats are young with an average of 23 years. But the team of headcoach Philip Mestdagh didn’t come to Minsk to go back to Belgium with a short or honorable defeat. They want more. They want to win. After the first defeat of Belarus last Saturday in Poland (65-56), the Belarussians have no another option than win ! They can again count on pointguard Lindsey Harding back from the States since Tuesday. Yelena Leuchanka, Anastasiya Verameyenka, Katsiaryna Snystina or Maryia Papova, well-known in Belgium after her stay in Namur, are among the best players from Belarus.

The Belgian Cats are a young group, but with some players abroad, they have already some experience. All of the players know the European competitions. All of the players played in the youth national teams during the past seasons. Eleven of the 12 players have already experienced FIBA World Championships U21, U19 or U17. Only Kim Mestdagh did not get this honor. Belarus is favorite, for sure. The experience of this team, 4th at the last Euro, is huge. The players are used to play together with the same head-coach Anatolyi Buyalski. But the enthusiasm of the Belgian players can create a surprise.