Three Algarve players are among the 12 called up for the Portuguese women's under-18 basketball team that will compete, starting this Saturday, in Division A of the European Championship, based in Matosinhos.
The base Maria Amaro, the winger Leonor Peixinho and the center Clara Silva are the Algarve's representatives in the main continental competition, which will be played until the 11th of August.
In the group stage, Portugal will face Italy this Saturday, August 3rd, at 20:30 pm, on Sunday, the 4th, at 18:00 pm, they will play Germany, and on Monday, the 5th, they will face Serbia, at 20:30 pm.
Clara Silva is, at 18 years old, the most experienced of the three players and one of the main promises in the sport, after having represented Unicaja Málaga, in Spain, for the last five seasons.
In the Andalusian team, the 1,98m Algarve midfielder completed his training, which began at Farense and Imortal Basket, and made his senior debut.
Clara Silva is already committed to the University of Kentucky and, from 2024/25, will play in the NCAA, the main North American university basketball league.
«I think we have good expectations because, with the European Championship being at home, the public will help us a lot. We already had this generation here two years ago and it went well, we came in 4th place in the [Under-16] European Championship. Even though we're not favorites, that doesn't scare us. We are prepared», guaranteed the athlete Faro, in a statement to the Portuguese Basketball Federation's communication channels.
Leonor Peixinho, 18 years old, born in Lagoa, was called up after her first season at Benfica, in which she trained with the main team. In the Algarve, she represented ACD Ferragudo, where she made her senior debut in the 2020/21 season, and Portimonense.
Maria Amaro, still 17 years old, born in Faro, spent his first season at Sporting, after an Algarve formation divided between Imortal Basket and Farense.
The competition will feature 16 European teams and almost 200 of the best under-18 athletes from each country, in a total of almost 60 games in two pavilions in the municipality of Matosinhos.
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