Czech Republic Claims First Spot After Thriller Against Belgium

REPUBLIC 72 – BELGIUM 70

The first quarter was leveled, with a constant trade of baskets, with none of the teams being able to pull away, and with no big runs.

Both teams looked for their go-to players in the offense. Belgium found Ann Wauters who finished the quarter with 8 points and 5 rebounds, joined by Kathy Lambe with 7 points. The Czech Republic did the same with Eva Viteckova who finished the first with 7 points

However Belgium chipped in two points more than the Czech's to end the first in front 21-19

They begin the second ten minutes with a 7-2 run in the first 3:25 which put them up 28-21. the Czechs reacted with a 6-0 that put them within one point, 28-27, with 5:01 for the break

Belgium didn’t lose the composure and the Perfumerias Avenida player, Anke de Mondt, kept her team in front with five straight points (3+2), but also recovered the Czech Repúblic and with 1:43 remaining Petra Kulichova leveled the score at 33, but missing the chance to put her side in front as she didn’t score the free throw obtained form the play

Again Anke de Mondt came to rescue from the perimeter, and Ann Wauters, with a nice move Ander the rim, getting rid of a two team, put her side up by five, 38-33, with 46 seconds remaining

The flemish couldn’t go with that lead to the locker room as in the next possession, Michala Hortigova was the last to score in the half to pull into two points, with 31 seconds remaining, 38-35 for Belgium


The Czech Republic begin the third with a 11-2, run, with Eva Viteckova scoring five points, putting her team up, 46-40, after 3:33. Belgium hit back with a 6-0 that tied the score at 66, hardly a minute after and making Jan Bobrovski call a time out.

After that both teams traded again. Belgium got themselves five points up, 56-51, with 2:51 remaining, but the good Czech's defense turned into a 7-0 run that put them again in front, 56-58, with 1:12 remaining, evening again the score, with 40 seconds remaining, Nele Deyaert, 58-58.

Belgium scored an 8-0 run which seemed to clear the way for Laurent Buffard’s girls, up 66-58, after 3:41, but then the Czech's reacted, stepping up in defense, letting the Belgians score only two points in the next 6:04.

Hana Machova scored a 6-0 run of her own to get within 2, 66-64. After Anke De Mond cut the spurt, Ivana Vecerova evened the score, and then Eva Viteckova scored the last four points for the Czech's. With 1:01 remaining the young center put her team ahead, 70-68.

After dropping their offense, Belgium tried to recover the ball by fouling since they weren’t on bonus, put with the first bonus foul – with 15 seconds remaining- Eva Viteckova went to the line and she didn’t miss the chance to put the game out of reach, scoring the 72-68, and making useless the last basket by Kathy Wambe, over the buzzer that closed the score, 72-70.

In Belgium Kathy Wambe and Anke De Mondt scored 13 each, adding the first one seven assists. Ann Wauters had 22 points and 17 rebounds.

For the Chezc Republic, Eva Viteckova scored 22 pts and Petra Pulichkova has 14 pts and 12 rebounds, along with 11 points and 7 rebounds from Jana Vesela, and 11 rebounds and 6 points from Ivana Vecerova.

MIQUEL BORDOY CANO

LOKOS X EL BALONCESTO FEMENINO

Interviews by Leslie Anderson 

Anke De Mondt

Nele Deyaert talks about her shoe lace

Petra Kulichova