Eurobasket on Channel 4?

The odds on Channel 4 picking up the rights to Eurobasket must be drastically cut now that Martin Henlan is heading up their 4Sport project.

4Sport's remit is to bring minority sports that can deliver audiences to Channel 4's mobile, web and television platforms.

With Channel 4 under funding pressure it was rumoured that they may drop their sports coverage altogether. It was announced this week that their Head of Sport Andrew Thompson has stepped down and that they may have to forfeit their one marquee holding - Horse Racing - unless that sport increases its contribution to production costs.

Henlan's role suggests that Channel 4 Sport is not dead yet and that the channel is returning to its innovative roots - that for example first brought regular basketball coverage to British screens back in the early 1980s.

Former England international Henlan has turned to basketball for his first commission - highlights of the British Women's relegation game against Finland at Worcester.

It looks as if British Basketball has lucked in once again - with our sport's leading media champion landing an influential role at a major British television channel at exactly the right time.

Women fly past Finns

Whilst this blog will unashamedly focus on the Men's team, January is all about the Women and their fight to stay in Division A. Coach Mark Clark's team got off to the best possible start today with a gutsy 63-61 win in Finland.

Leading guard Kirsty Lavin returned to the GB line-up, after missing the 2008 international season through injury but the star performers were the post players: Kim Butler (17 points, 7 points and 4 assists), Sarah McKay (12 points and 6 rebounds) and Rosalee Mason who posted a double-double (10 points and 12 rebounds).

Britain now head into three consecutive home games, starting with Bosnia in Sheffield on Wednesday 7 January. If GB can win that one and then beat Romania in Nottingham (Saturday 10 January) and the return against Finland (at Worcester on Tuesday 13 January), then Division A status will be retained before the final two road games. Two out of the four teams in the group will be relegated to Division B.

Although relegation will not necessarily result in FIBA excluding the British team from automatic qualification as hosts for London 2012 (FIBA has been deliberately ambiguous in stating the standards that both British teams must reach to claim those spots – and it is unlikely that either team would be denied) it will definitely reduce the Women's share of the £8 million plus funding dedicated to performance basketball by UK Sport.

So arguably these are the most important games in British Women basketball's history, as they will ensure that the Women's team are fully funded up to the London Games.

Ticket details for the home games can be found at: http://www.basketballgb.com/index.php?go=teams/tickets