Not without a few frights, Emma Meesseman and the Belgian Cats finally took the best in Italy this Friday, in the semi-finals of the Women’s EuroBasket.
Belgium, reigning European champion, qualified for its second final in a row at the Women’s Euro Basketball by beating Italy (66-64) Friday in Piraeus (Greece) after a fourth crazy quarter. The “Belgian Cats” will try on Sunday (7:30 p.m.) to keep their crown against Spain, in a rehearsal of the final of two years ago in Slovenia. They had then won the first – and to date alone – title of their history.
Led by the triple MVP of Euroligue Emma Meesseman (15 points, 12 rebounds), they did not go far from a terrible disillusionment on Friday in the semi-finals. While the Belgians that they seemed to be launched towards a rather easy qualification at the entrance to the last quarter (57-43), Italy, which has been playing its first semi-final of the Euro for 30 years, has sown revolt, by inflicting a 17-0 on its evening opponent in the space of six minutes (60-57). This crazy scenario, initiated by Martina Fassina (11 pts) and Lorela Cubaj (13 pts, 10 rebounds), was however not enough. Kyara Linskens and Antonia Delaere, at three points, turned into Belgian saves in the last seconds.
The Italians will face France on Sunday (4:30 p.m.) in the match for third place. Since 2009, the Bleues, eliminated from one point by La Roja (65-64), have always returned from one euro with a medal.
