Finch's Brits out to be the A Team

GB face the Swiss over two legs starting this evening (7.30pm.) At stake is a place among European basketball’s elite nations. Aggregate winners can also set sights on the 2012 London Olympics.

Tonight’s first leg match brings former Sheffield Sharks coach Chris Finch back as GB team boss.

With wins over Slovakia, Holland, Albania and Belarus already under his belt, Finch is two games away from a promotion to Euro A Division.

Next summer the top nations in Europe from the A Division will compete for places in London's Olympic Games.

After tonight, the teams go head to head in Switzerland on Saturday in the second leg.

GB, who also include ex-Sharks player Roger Huggins, are favourites tonight to clinch promotion for the first time ever.

Said Finch: “I don’t get drawn too much into home and away type of thinking, but we want to get off to a good start and pressure on them. Get the first punch in right away. We’re going to have to win two games. .”

He added: “We need to guard against complacency after a good performance in the group; we’ve talked about having no margin for error.

“People will have looked at our scorelines and will be expecting us to get a big margin. Those come only if you play well.”

The squad is the most successful in GB basketball history and Finch added. “To think that GB basketball could compete for a medal in 2012 is not beyond the realms of possibility.”

NBA star Deng has consistently been a huge player in Finch’s team.

He top-scored with 27 in the final group game at Belarus in GB’s 83-51 victory.