The attention placed upon the Great Britain team in the build-up to tomorrow’s opening European Championship promotion qualifier with Slovakia has understandably centred upon Luol Deng, the Chicago Bulls prodigy.

The secret to a successful campaign, however, may depend more on the creaking ankle of a 27-year-old Scotsman. Robert Archibald, who spent two seasons in the NBA with the Memphis Grizzlies, Orlando Magic, Phoenix Suns and Toronto Raptors, has been plagued by a niggling ankle injury throughout Britain’s six-week preparations and aggravated the problem in the second of two warm-up games against Ireland last week.

Although the 6ft 11in centre insists that he will play in the opening group game against Slovakia at the NIA in Birmingham tomorrow, his mobility and jumping ability could be seriously hampered as Chris Finch’s team hope to open an important campaign with victory.

“I will definitely play,” Archibald said. “I turned my ankle a little bit against Ireland, which is extremely frustrating because the injury was getting so much better. I’ll try and be as ready as I can on Tuesday but how long I play and how effective I’ll be, I can’t say. Unfortunately, I don’t think I’ll be sharp but there is no time for waiting.”

Even in limited minutes against a poor Irish team, Archibald showed glimpses of the qualities he will bring to a Britain team for which his father Bobby played ten times in 1984 – qualities that have traditionally been missing from British international teams.

“He is a phenomenal player,” Finch said. “He does everything with such composure and poise. British teams often compare badly in terms of size and toughness with European teams, but Robert answers those problems.”

With promising big men such as Nick George, Eric Boateng, Pops Mensah-Bonsu and Joel Freeland pulling out of the squad under pressure from their clubs, the onus has fallen on Archibald and Andy Betts, who has enjoyed a successful career at the top level of European basketball.

Unfortunately, injuries are nothing new to Archibald who has been plagued by a wide variety of them throughout his career and would, surely, still be in the NBA with a clean bill of health. However, his form with Badalona, the Spanish giants, last season earned him a contract, worth a reported $1 million a year (about £505,000), with Azovmash Mariupol, the leading team in a Ukranian League suddenly, and bizarrely, awash with huge amounts of cash.

For the next four weeks, however, Archibald’s focus will be on the Britain team who must finish top of their group to advance to a semi-final play-off, the winners of which will be promoted to the A Division of European basketball, the level at which Finch’s team must be playing to be assured of a place at the 2012 London Olympics.

Having lost twice in the first round of fixtures a year ago, it is almost certain that Britain will have to win all four group games – Holland, Albania and Belarus follow Slovakia – to top the group.

The presence of Deng, one of the most promising young talents in the world, has improved those chances dramatically and the multi-millionaire has proved a valuable addition to Finch’s squad, on and off the floor.

“Luol has fitted in very well,” Archibald said. “In terms of his talent he is on another level to everyone else, nobody is close. But his work ethic is even more impressive and he is a very humble guy. All the things you could have wanted in bringing on board a player of his talent, he has delivered ahead of time.”

Need to know

Team GB are mid-table in Group B in Eurobasket Division B, which is made up of three groups. Romania head Group A and Finland Group C. The winners of each group and the best second-placed team will qualify for the play-offs, where a place in Eurobasket A is up for grabs.

FIBA, the international governing body for basketball, has stipulated that Great Britain should be competing in Eurobasket A before the London 2012 Olympic Games if they are to secure their position as tournament hosts.

Tomorrow v Slovakia at NIA, Birmingham Sept 1 v Albania at Meadowbank, Edinburgh Sept 11/15 possible promotion play-off at Ponds Forge, Sheffield

Group B P W L Pts Holland 4 3 1 7 Belarus 4 3 1 7 Great Britain 4 2 2 6 Slovakia 4 2 2 6 Albania 4 0 4 4

Ticket information for all games can be found at www.basketballgb.com. For Ponds Forge there is also a box office hotline on 0131 661 5351

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