In an interview with Report, the head coach of Azerbaijan’s women’s basketball team, Evren Alkaya, shared his thoughts on the team’s performance in the EuroBasket 2025 qualifiers and the future of the national program.
Idman.biz reports that Alkaya emphasized the long-term nature of the project, stating, "Our project is a five-year plan, and we’ve already completed two years. In three years, we will have players capable of competing seriously."
Reflecting on the team’s experience in the qualifiers, Alkaya noted, "We were placed in the same group as three of the toughest opponents—Poland, Belgium, and Lithuania. Teams of their level are rare in other groups. Women’s basketball in Poland and Lithuania is highly developed. So, we had to face these strong teams. Seeing such opponents was a surprise for us because our team was not fully prepared for this level of competition."
He also pointed out the significant support from the Azerbaijan Basketball Federation and the steps taken to develop the team: "We have identified the players in our squad and are aiming to complement them with younger talents. We’ve brought in players born between 2007-2010 because we had no choice; the players previously in the squad were 40 years old or older."
Alkaya explained that the goal in the qualifiers was not necessarily to earn points but to gain experience: "We didn’t have a goal of earning points in the qualifiers. In the first games, the goal difference was large, but over time, we reduced that gap. It’s difficult, for example, think about a match between Spain’s Real Madrid and Turkiye’s Bursaspor. But we didn’t give up. We gained experience in women’s basketball. Our project is five years long, and two years have passed. In three years, we will have players ready to compete at a serious level."
He further acknowledged the strength of the teams they faced: "Lithuania and Belgium could very well become European champions, and that wouldn’t be a surprise. France is also a contender. Playing against such strong opponents is an opportunity for our players. We are grateful to the Azerbaijan Basketball Federation for this. These players train 10 times a week and work both before and after school. They have dedicated their lives to basketball, and I believe we will have great athletes. They are very young. It’s too soon to expect results from them, but we will continue to believe in them."
As for the results of the qualifiers, the Azerbaijan team lost all of its matches against Poland, Belgium, and Lithuania.
Idman.biz
