Devos Guides Belgium Past Italy
Noor Devos orchestrated an offensive masterclass for Belgium, sealing a resounding 82-54 victory over Italy at the FIBA U20 Women's EuroBasket.
Belgium established an early lead, though Italy remained within striking distance, with the halftime score favouring the Belgians 39-32.
The second half, however, saw Belgium pull away, entering the fourth quarter with a commanding 56-40 advantage. The dominance intensified in the final period, which Belgium outscored Italy 26-14, to seal the commanding win. The Belgians benefited from significant offensive output from their bench, which contributed 29 points to Italy's 25, and converted 47% of their field goals compared to Italy's 30%. While Italy managed 11 steals, they couldn't convert, whereas Belgium shot an efficient 67% from the free-throw line. Devos was exceptional with 13 points, 8 rebounds, and 7 assists, while Ella Declercq added 18 points off the bench. For Italy, Francesca Baldassarre and Emanuela Trozzola led the scoring with 8 and 9 points respectively. This commanding performance sends a strong statement from Belgium in the tournament.