Sotelo Miguez Stars as Spain Dominates Belgium
Ines Sotelo Miguez delivered a masterful offensive performance, scoring 21 points to guide Spain to a commanding 81-59 triumph over Belgium at the FIBA U20 Women's EuroBasket. Spain established an eight-point lead by halftime, 42-34, and sustained their momentum, entering the final period with a 12-point cushion. It was in the fourth quarter where Spain truly pulled away, outscoring Belgium 20-10 to seal the contest. Despite Belgium shooting a more efficient 43% from the field compared to Spain's 41%, the Spanish side leveraged their 25 assists and 15 steals to control the game, while committing just 7 turnovers to Belgium's 23. Maria Anais Rodriguez Gonzalez chipped in 14 points and 5 assists, with Marta Alsina Alberich also netting 14 points. For Belgium, Ella Declercq came off the bench to score 12 points, but Spain's cohesive effort proved too much. This victory serves as a significant statement of intent from Spain in the tournament.