Alma Kapetanovic supplied 19 points, 11 rebounds, 8 steals and 4 blocks in 38 minutes, but Switzerland U16 Women could not find a way past Slovakia U16 Women in the 3rd Place Game at the FIBA U16 Women's EuroBasket Division B, falling 49–61 in Piestany. Kapetanovic shot 9 of 16 from the field and anchored both ends of the floor — her eight steals led the defensive effort, and she cleaned the glass on both sides to keep her team in a game that Slovakia controlled through much of the second half. The 11 rebounds reflected the work required just to stay competitive; the efficiency of her shot selection (56 percent from two) kept Switzerland within reach longer than the final margin suggests. The 12-point deficit at the end marks fourth place for Switzerland in the competition. Kapetanovic's two-way display was not enough to overturn Slovakia's rhythm, but it ensured the Swiss had a genuine presence in a contest where the outcome was decided by execution and intensity in the final stretches. The campaign closes here.
FIBA U16 Women's EuroBasket (Division B)
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Viktoriia Ulianova carried Azerbaijan U16 Women through a decisive 78–65 victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina U16 Women, finishing with 34 points, 10 rebounds, 4 steals and 2 blocks across 40 minutes. The 13-point margin reflects a performance built on efficiency. Ulianova shot 13 of 21 from the field (62%) and a near-perfect 8 of 10 from the free-throw line, anchoring Azerbaijan's attack when Bosnia and Herzegovina mounted any resistance. Her only weakness came from three-point range—0 for 4—but she compensated by operating effectively inside and at the rim, where her size and footwork generated consistent looks. Four steals underscore her impact on the other end. Though the turnover count (2) and foul tally (3) sit cleanly in the margin of a dominant performance, it was her ability to finish possessions that closed out the game. With no further matches remaining in Division B for Azerbaijan in this competition, this dominant closing statement becomes her final mark in the campaign.
Charys Eva Fogue finished with 8 points, 8 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 steals in 20 minutes — a near-flawless outing on 4-of-5 shooting — as our young Cats closed out the FIBA U16 Women's EuroBasket Division B campaign with a 75–57 victory over Sweden. The 18-point margin tells the real story: Belgium's depth and defensive intensity proved too much for a Swedish side that offered little resistance once the early stages passed. Fogue's efficiency in limited minutes — hitting all four of her field-goal attempts and committing just one turnover — reflected a composed performance that typified how our squad controlled the tempo and the glass throughout. It was a statement finish to the tournament. Our young Cats leave Piestany with a clear sense of what they can build on: collective discipline, ball movement, and the kind of controlled aggression that compounds into double-digit margins.
🏀 Final: Belgium U16 Women 75–57 Sweden U16 Women. Top: Eflin Nalli 15 PTS.
Eulalie Toussaint carries our young Cats into this one with numbers that speak for themselves: 14.5 points and 3.5 assists per game, a 42.5 TIB efficiency that sits well clear of the competition at this level. Sweden's Leia Agilar counters with a steadier 14 points and 2 assists—capable, but operating at 35.7 efficiency, a gap worth noting when the margins tighten. Belgium U16 Women and Sweden U16 Women meet at Diplomat Arena in Piestany for a Division B clash that hinges on guard play and decision-making. Toussaint's assist rate has been the engine of our attack; if she can thread those cutters and keep the tempo up, Sweden will struggle to match the pace. Agilar is the Swedes' primary engine—limit her touches, force her into tough angles, and you force their offense to work harder. This is the kind of matchup where one player's efficiency edge translates directly to wins. Tip-off is just after 3 hours.
Eflin Nalli steered our young Cats to the Semi-Finals T1 with a commanding performance: 20 points on clean 8-for-12 shooting, 5 rebounds, 3 assists and 3 steals across 32 minutes. Belgium won 73–56 at home in Piestany, a 17-point margin that reflected a thorough effort. Nalli's shot selection was sharp — she made 2 of 3 from three-point range and 2 of 4 from the line — and her ball security was mostly sound across a half-hour workload. Five turnovers kept the performance from being flawless, but on a night when our team's depth and defensive intensity showed, her individual contribution was the clearest engine of the win. Slovakia offered little resistance. With the Semi-Finals T1 now in the books, attention turns to what comes next for our squad.
Belgium's young Cats dominated the second quarter to seal a comfortable semi-final victory, outscoring Slovakia 27–7 in that stretch alone and opening up a 21-point lead by half-time (42–21). The hosts never threatened a genuine comeback — Slovakia won the third quarter 20–13, but Belgium's cushion proved too large to erode, and the final 17-point margin reflected a controlled performance. Eflin Nalli led the way with 20 points on 8/12 shooting and 2/3 from three, adding five rebounds and three steals. Eulalie Toussaint contributed 16 points and six rebounds despite a difficult night from range (2/9), while Lina Claessens anchored the boards with seven rebounds and solid defence. Slovakia's Stella Kolenova shot cleanly at 6/6 from two, and Vilma Nedielkova chipped in 12 points, but neither found enough support to keep pace once Belgium's second-quarter run took hold. The early signs had been tight — just 15–14 after one — but the decisive burst in Q2 put the game beyond reach. This semi-final win caps a strong campaign for our young Cats in Division B.
Eulalie Toussaint's 44.7 TIB efficiency has been the motor of our young Cats' run through Division B, and she'll face her sharpest test yet when Slovakia's Zoja Ivanova rolls in with 40.8 of her own. The matchup is as clean as they come: Toussaint at 14 points and 4 assists per game, orchestrating from the perimeter and in transition, against Ivanova's steadier 11-point output. On paper, Toussaint holds the edge in creation and volume. But Ivanova's consistency—and Slovakia's defensive structure—means our young Cats can't afford a passive first quarter. Belgium will need that pace and those extra possessions where Toussaint can work her range. Tipoff is in three hours at the Diplomat Arena. This is the kind of individual duel that decides tight tournaments in the division.
Belgium's young Cats dismantled Cyprus from the opening tip, building a 23–6 lead by the end of the first quarter and never relinquishing control. A devastating 15-0 run midway through that opening frame set the tone — Cyprus never recovered. By half-time, our side led 49–15, and the gulf only widened. After three quarters it stood 70–24; the final scoreline of 93–32 reflects a lopsided performance that exposed the gap in class. Eulalie Toussaint led the Charys with 25 points on crisp shooting (9/15 overall, 5/8 from three), adding four assists and two steals. Charys Eva Fogue was efficient inside, scoring 10 on a perfect 5/6 from the field, while Lily Jans orchestrated the offense with five assists and five steals despite a quieter scoring night (3/9 FG). The defensive intensity was suffocating — Cyprus managed just nine points in both the second and third quarters, a telling measure of how thoroughly our Cats dominated. Anna Christodoulou led Cyprus with nine points, but had little help around her. This Group A campaign ends with our young Cats having put on a comprehensive display of control and precision.
Berglind Katla Hlynsdóttir finished what will be her last game in this competition with 31 points, 9 rebounds and 8 assists, anchoring Iceland U16 Women's 87–78 semifinal victory over Denmark U16 Women in Ioannina. The 12-of-21 shooting (4-of-7 from three) gave Hlynsdóttir the offensive firepower to pace the win. Her ball movement—eight assists against six turnovers across 35 minutes—controlled the floor when it mattered. On the glass and defensively, she added 9 rebounds, 4 steals and 4 blocks; the efficiency math was there. Iceland's nine-point margin held through a contest that stayed competitive until the end. Hlynsdóttir's performance in a semifinal that closes out the team's Division B campaign underscored the standard of play she brought to the tournament.
Liv Van Houwenis runs the engine for our young Cats at the Division B showcase, and she'll need every bit of that 47.5 efficiency rating to manage Cyprus's Anna Christodoulou in the midfield. Van Houwenis has been threading 3 assists per game while scoring 6, a rhythm setter who dictates pace; Christodoulou sits at 35.8 efficiency with similar scoring but half the playmaking touches, meaning the Belgian's control of tempo could be the early separation. Both are hitting their marks — neither is an outlier scorewise, but the gap in decision-making and floor management widens the closer you look. If Van Houwenis can keep Cyprus chasing rather than leading, our Cats get cleaner looks at both ends. Diplomat Arena tips off in three hours. Watch where Belgium's young squad establishes control.
🏀 Final: Belgium U16 Women 85–51 Bosnia and Herzegovina U16 Women. Top: Eulalie Toussaint 10 PTS.
Mojan Malek finished the classification stage with a commanding 22 points, 10 rebounds, 2 assists, 5 steals and 1 block in 26 minutes, shooting 8 of 16 from the floor and 3 of 7 from three-point range. Our GB U16 Women's side put Ireland away with a 91–63 win in Ioannina, a 28-point margin that reflected the gap in class across the two squads. The result concludes our campaign in Division B. Malek's two-way work — the steals and rebound volume alongside the scoring efficiency — typified what it took to win convincingly at this level, and her presence in the second half made the outcome less competitive than it ever looked like being. A functional finish to the tournament for the group.
Great Britain's U16 Women never trailed in a 28-point rout of Ireland, establishing complete control from the opening tip and turning the classification game into a one-sided affair. Our GB led 31–12 after the first quarter and extended that advantage to 48–29 by half-time. Ireland mounted a brief second-quarter push, rattling off 11 unanswered points mid-period to cut the deficit to 18, but it proved too little to shift the momentum. Great Britain's third quarter was decisive: a 25-point haul stretched the lead to 31 points at 73–42, effectively settling the contest. Ireland salvaged some pride with a 19-point fourth quarter, but the outcome had long been decided by then. Mojan Malek led our GB with a commanding double-double: 22 points on 8/16 shooting, 10 rebounds, 5 steals and a block. Chantelle Okoli added 20 points on efficient 5/10 two-point shooting and 8/10 free throws, while Sytira Smith chipped in 10 points on a perfect 1/2 from the field and 8/11 from the stripe. For Ireland, Sorcha Kelly's 14 points on 5/6 free-throw accuracy was their brightest spark, though the wider offensive struggles—Ireland shot just 25% from three-point range—proved fatal against a GB side that shot the ball with precision throughout.
Merjem Karray is running hot in Piestany — 21 points per game with a 56 TIB Efficiency rating — and Bosnia and Herzegovina will lean heavily on her scoring punch when they face our young Cats this afternoon. Lily Jans has been the engine for Belgium, orchestrating the offence with 6 assists per game while chipping in 14 points herself. Her 42 TIB rating reflects steady, dependable play; Karray's 56 sits notably higher, a sign of where the gap lies heading in. This is the kind of individual duel that can shape the early momentum. If our Cats can make Karray work for her looks and get Jans into rhythm running the offence, Belgium has a pathway. Leave her free and Bosnia and Herzegovina gains a foothold fast. Tip-off in Piestany at the Diplomat Arena — watch it live.
Sytira Smith has been running the show for our GB side — 13.5 points per game and a TIB efficiency rating of 25.3 that sits well clear of the division. Against her stands Mia Dunne, the Ireland U16 Women's anchor, though the gulf in recent form is stark: Dunne averaging 5 points with a 12.5 efficiency mark tells the story of two very different trajectories into this tie. Great Britain U16 Women arrive as the clear favourites on the numbers, but youth tournaments are rarely decided by averages alone. Ireland will look to disrupt, to force Smith into difficult looks, and to build something around Dunne's role — whatever that may be in a matchup where possession and floor control could matter as much as individual brilliance. Tip-off at Neo Kleisto Ioanninon in Ioannina. Watch it live.
Lily Jans ran the offense cleanly in Piestany, dropping 14 points and 6 assists to steer our young Cats past Switzerland 70–54 in Group A play. The Belgium U16 Women guard made her shooting nights count — 3-for-6 from three, 5-for-6 from the line — even as she worked through a heavy load with 33 minutes and 6 turnovers that spoke to the pace she was asked to manage. A 16-point margin away from home is the kind of control performance that builds tournament momentum. Jans's ball movement and decision-making held up under pressure, and her four steals showed the defensive intensity underneath her playmaking. Not a flawless night — the shooting efficiency outside the three-point line wasn't there — but in a youth competition, a floor general who keeps the tempo right and limits mistakes when it matters is exactly what you need. Next up: another Group A fixture as we build toward the knockout rounds.
Our young Cats dominated the first half and never looked back, holding Switzerland to 18 points through 24 minutes before pulling away for a commanding 70–54 victory in Group A play. Belgium built separation early, tearing off a 10-0 run in the opening quarter to establish control at 6–16. By halftime, the lead sat at 38–18 — a gap Switzerland could not close. The hosts dug in during the third, outscoring our side 21–20 and trimming the margin, but Belgium's cushion proved too deep. A lead that peaked at 24 points left no drama in the final period. Lily Jans orchestrated the offense with 14 points and 6 assists on efficient shooting (3/10 FG, 3/6 from three, 5/6 FT), while Loane Roba added 11 points on 3/7 shooting and Charys Eva Fogue contributed 8 points and 4 steals. Alma Kapetanovic led Switzerland with 14 points and 7 rebounds, but the Swiss struggled overall — 39 percent from the field and 22 percent from three told the real story. Our young Cats host Bosnia and Herzegovina on Tuesday. That one shapes up as another chance to tighten rotation minutes and build rhythm heading deeper into the tournament.
Annie Kibedi sits atop the efficiency charts for our young Cats here in Piestany, and she'll walk straight into Evi Anne Josephine Bartel — the standout Switzerland has leaned on all week. Both players are rated 37+ in TIB Efficiency, a rarity at this level, and both have grown into their respective offenses over recent games. Kibedi has been the primary initiator for Belgium, averaging 11.5 points and 2.4 assists per game. Her court vision and willingness to attack downhill have become the connective tissue in our group-play setup. Bartel, meanwhile, is Switzerland's steadier presence: 8.8 points nightly with a tighter offensive load, but her defensive positioning and floor craft have kept the Swiss competitive. The math here is clean. Whoever controls the tempo and forces turnovers will likely control the win. Kibedi's assist rate suggests Belgium wants to play freely; Bartel's scoring efficiency says Switzerland won't break in easy. Switzerland vs Belgium tips off in Division B. This is the kind of young-player matchup that shapes how both nations build over the next cycle — watch it unfold.
Berglind Katla Hlynsdóttir carved through our GB defence for 31 points, adding 6 rebounds, 3 assists and 4 steals as Iceland pulled away in the second half to win 72–59 in Ioannina. The Icelandic forward was efficient and relentless. She controlled space, moved well off the ball, and made the simple reads when the defence collapsed around her. Our GB side competed in stretches but couldn't sustain the defensive intensity needed to limit her impact on both ends—Hlynsdóttir's theft count reflects how often she turned over possessions in transition. The gap widened as the game wore on. Iceland's execution in transition and their ability to get stops fed directly into their scoring rhythm, with Hlynsdóttir at the centre of it. Our GB players will take the film review seriously and regroup for the next fixture.