Freeland to make bow at Meadowbank

FUTURE Portland Trail Blazer Joel Freeland is all set to make his full senior debut for Great Britain against the Netherlands in a basketball international at Meadowbank tomorrow night (7.00pm), the first time that a GB team will have played there for 30 years.

The 6ft 10in former Solent teenager, who has been farmed out to Spanish side Gran Canaria for up to two years before he makes his NBA debut, has backed coach Chris Finch and his GB side to do well in their European B Championship qualifier: "I'm totally committed to this programme and want to play in the 2012 Olympics."

Asked if he was sore about being left on the bench for the side's crucial opener away to Slovakia last weekend, Freeland, who was late joining the squad, commented: "That was exactly the right decision. I was trying to join the programme from Day One but there were communication problems."

Down the years the Dutch have been a constant thorn in the flesh of GB teams pursuing their Olympic dream, though the last time the two teams met was in 1992 in Badajoz, Spain, when Netherlands won 81-60, the game, however, being a dead one as both teams were already out.

Four years previously GB had won 85-65 in Groningen and in all the two rivals have met 11 times, Netherlands leading 7-4, though in competitive matches, with friendlies excluded, the gap is just one game.

Sadly there is not one Scot in tomorrow's match. Though invited, neither ex-Kings Aussie Dan Wardrope, who cited lack of fitness, nor Gareth Murray (Rocks) attended the trials.