GB Standard Life women picked up their first win of their EuroBasket qualifying campaign with a 72-63 victory in Germany tonight.

Julie Page led the way for Tom Maher’s side with 20 points and five rebounds, while Natalie Stafford finished with 16 points and three assists. Jo Leedham had six steals and five rebounds to go with her 13 points, with Jenaye Wade-Frey chipping in with eight points and three assists.

Linda Fröhlich was the only German in double figures with a game-high 25 points and eight assists.

GB won the tip, and after Julie Page had missed a jump shot, Fröhlich opened the scoring for the hosts only to see Page level the score with a lay-up.

Jo Leedham gave GB the lead on the fast break and although Fröhlich levelled things again, the visitors proceeded to score nine straight points to take a 13-4 lead. Leedham hit five points and Kim Butler scored four as the visitors took control of the game, and their blistering start continued with Azania Stewart and Natalie Stafford adding to the scoreline as they went into the first break 23-13 ahead.

Scores from Stafford and Page answered by Anne Breitreiner’s three-point kept GB ahead at the start of the second period before Butler sunk a trey to make it 30-18 with three minutes gone. The German’s reply saw a 10-1 run capped by Dorothea Richter’s three, before Maher called a timeout.

Another three points from the hosts followed to extend their lead but Leedham drained from the Land of Plenty and Chantelle Handy hit a basket six seconds from time to send GB into the locker room 38-31 ahead.

Breitreiner and Stafford exchanged baskets to open the second half, and Stafford hit a three to give GB a 45-37 lead at the five minute mark.

Page kept it at an eight point game, but back-to-back scores from Roli-Ann Nikagbatse halved that advantage. However, GB finished the period strongly and they went into the final break 52-44 ahead.

Stafford made it a ten point game with the first score of the fourth period, and a Page and-one following a single Wade-Fray free-throw saw GB 62-48 up at the five minute mark.

The hosts had one more run left as they hit seven unanswered points, but Wade-Frey scored from downtown to end the run and a Stafford three pointer iced it at 70-59 with 79 seconds on the clock to give GB the win.

GB return to action in Guildford at Surrey University on Friday when they host a Ukraine side who have lost their opening two games.