Belgium advances to quarterfinals while Puerto Rico eliminates Turkey from tournament
In group stage matches at the FIBA Women's World Cup, Belgium defeated Australia to advance directly to the quarterfinals, while Puerto Rico beat Turkey to eliminate its opponent from the tournament.
In the FIBA Women's World Cup group matches played in Berlin, Germany, Belgium secured its spot in the quarterfinals by defeating Australia 80-68, powered by Emma Meesseman's performance. Meanwhile, Puerto Rico, led by Arella Guirantes, beat Turkey 75-71 to keep its qualification hopes alive and eliminate Turkey from the tournament.
Belgium Defeats Australia
Emma Meesseman produced 22 points and 10 rebounds to play a critical role in Belgium's 80-68 victory over Australia. With this result, Belgium finished Group C in first place and advanced directly to the quarterfinals.
Australia, on the other hand, will face the loser of the match between Italy and China in a classification round fixture on Wednesday.
Effective Play in the Final Quarter
Belgium entered the final quarter with a five-point lead, and an 11-2 run early in the period pushed the margin into double digits. The Opals team failed to mount a comeback after this deficit.
Puerto Rico Eliminates Turkey
Arella Guirantes scored 21 points to secure Puerto Rico's 75-71 victory against Turkey. With this score, Turkey was eliminated from the women's tournament.
Comeback in the Final Period
Although Puerto Rico entered the final quarter trailing by seven points, they managed to turn the score in their favor at 59-58 thanks to points from Imani McGee-Stafford and two consecutive three-pointers by Pamela Rosado.
Julie Allemand Assist Record
Belgian player Julie Allemand claimed the title of the all-time assists leader in tournament history with an assist she made during Meesseman's two free throws in the first half.
Allemand finished with a record 111 assists, surpassing the previous record of 108 held by Spain's Laia Palau.
Other Results in Group Matches
While group winners advanced directly to the quarterfinals, teams finishing second and third will play play-off matches on Tuesday and Wednesday. The bottom-placed teams are bidding farewell to the tournament.