Some gold women won a silver medal that however knew very bitter. The women’s basketball team lost in the last sigh the final of the Eurobasket against Belgium by 65-67 when he had the glory in the palm of his hand. Spain enjoyed the ball with an advantage and 17 seconds to play, but a loss between Mariona Ortiz and Alba Torrens granted the Belgian team an unthinkable comeback because it losing for 12: the partial, demolishing, was 0-14 in the final three minutes. Desolation was total in Spain because it spread the feeling that they had let gold escape instead of conquering a lot of value.
It is the 15th Medal for the Women’s National Team in 25 large appointments in this century, an indelible time because before it had only climbed to the podium, in the inaugural European gold of 1993. In the pavilion of peace and friendship of El Piraeo, basketball gave a raw lesson to a construction team, immersed in an accelerated generation Angeles 2028. But Spain does not know how to win if it is not to win and thus ended up tute to its black beast, the Belgium who won the 2023 Eurobasket final and eliminated it in the rooms of the Paris Games. He was about to fall this time and only the nerves of a few final minutes badly played by Spain before the Belgian pressure left the selection without the main prize.
The war began inside. Awa Fam and Raquel Carrera starting together. Méndez enlisted his two best interior buzas to launch the war under the hoop against Meesseman and Linskens. It was however the eternal Alba Torrens who opened the can at medium distance. The selection closed its defense well and forced the Belgian players for forced shots and failures in the triples. Meesseman scored his team’s first basket on one against almost three minutes. The Belgian star began to carve to score and to generate game. Fam responded from the perimeter in a demonstration of its potential in each corner. Who would say that he is only 19 years old and premiered in a great appointment. Pueyo and Delaere exchanged successes from the perimeter and Raquel Carrera appeared to do everything. The first quarter was a shot and daca without brake due to the ability of the two teams to attack in diverse ways and defend with the knife between the teeth (19-18).
Belgium is one with his titular quintet and another when the second line enters. The difference is evident, much more than in a Spanish team that keeps the revolutions high even if it exchanges the pieces. His game is more coral, more than orchestra than soloists. No team ran to taste to the good replication of the two defensive systems. Paula Ginzo added to Spain wearing foot game to score in a setback and sharpening the wrist from the outside arch. Belgium was still cloudy when he moved away from the hoop (3 of 15 to the intermediate), orphan of one of his best weapons and also from the Meesseman-Linskens connection. The attack flowed much more in the Méndez group, supportive and patient to find the best way to the network: Ginzo in the low post, Andrea Vilaró open for the triple, Raquel Carrera A for a two plus one or Alba Torrens when the last possession was played before the break, a pause that Spain reached overflowing of confidence (37-31).
That gold went through the defense was known by anyone in the Pavilion of Peace and Friendship of Piraeus. Some selection mislead allowed Belgium to link a couple of races, add easy baskets and approach the scoreboard. Mariona Ortiz saved an agonized attack with an agonized attack because the Belgian team was then suffocated in the marks and the imposing Meesman, gradually fattened her service sheet in creation and destruction. Containing the pivot when the hoop with its corpachón is a titanic task. A triple Vanloo turned the result in a moment of confusion of Spain (42-45). But this group always returns, as in the quarterfinals in front of the Czech Republic, as in the semifinals against France. Lowering your arms is not in your vocabulary. A musketeer defense and the energy of Aina Ayuso and Elena Buenavida still returned the command to the Spanish group before the last pause (52-49).
Spain had given up the 2023 Eurobasket final against the same rival when he caressed an unthinkable gold. That memory tanned the competitive character of the team despite the fact that this event was presented with many changes. The defeat was not forgotten and this time the Spanish team departed in the last quarter with the conviction that each rival basket should demand a feat. A triple of Ayuso and a against Pueyo after a robbery granted another little respite and the difference was enlarged to the 12 points (63-51). Everything seemed aimed for Spanish gold, but the rawness of the competition caused the selection to then see the milk teeth. Belgium charged with all his artillery and Spain trembled. A 0-14 was a capital punishment.
