Greece U18 Women · 34 min★★★★★
27 pts4 reb1 ast56.5 TIB EFF
Apostolia Zormpala's 25 points proved the difference as Greece U18 Women edged our GB side 68–63 in a tight FIBA U18 Women's EuroBasket Division B encounter.
The Greek forward dominated the scoring load, carrying her team through stretches when the contest hung in the balance. She added four rebounds and two steals to a performance that, whilst not decorated with assists, was built on relentless shot-making when Greece needed it most.
Our GB U18 Women fought hard against a composed opponent, but Zormpala's clinical finishing in the final quarter proved decisive. It was a narrow defeat on a stage where such margins matter — each team left everything on the floor, and Greece's depth in the scoring department ultimately prevailed.
The loss stings, but there are fixtures ahead to respond in.
Greece held our GB side off in a five-point finish at FIBA U18 Women's EuroBasket Division B, taking a 68–63 victory after a fourth-quarter blitz that turned a ten-point deficit into a one-possession game inside the final two minutes.
The match swung repeatedly — 14 lead changes and five ties before Greece found their rhythm when it mattered most. Our GB team controlled the second half until the third quarter ended at 44–54 in their favour; then Greece ripped off a 12-0 run from 44–54 to 56–54 early in the fourth, seizing momentum they would not relinquish. Bo Guttormsdottir Frost led our effort with 15 points on 5/10 shooting, 7 rebounds and four blocks, whilst Isey Guttormsdottir-Frost orchestrated the offence with 12 points and six assists across 5/13 from the floor. Ophelia Larder-Lee finished 3/5 for 9 points, a bright spot in a close contest where our shooting failed to sustain the lead we built.
Apostolia Zormpala carried Greece, scoring 25 points on 10/13 free throws and 1/2 from three, grinding the possession game when it counted.
Our GB side host North Macedonia on Sunday. The margin is thin; the next match will tell whether this close loss stings or strengthens.
Athena Thompson enters this fixture in a different stratosphere. Our GB guard has posted a 59.8 TIB Efficiency rating with 20.4 points per game — numbers that dwarf what most U18 players can sustain at this level. Greece's Lydia Chatira, competent and composed at 34.9 efficiency with 9 points and 2.7 assists, will have the ball in her hands tonight, but Thompson's scoring load and decision-making separate the two in measurable terms.
The gulf widens when you look at usage. Thompson is operating as a primary creation threat; Chatira runs the offence but does not shoulder comparable scoring responsibility. On paper, this suggests our GB can lean into Thompson's ability to generate scoring while keeping Greece's playmaker contained — or at least make her work without consistent support in the backcourt.
Greece will need Chatira's court vision to find cutters and shooters in open space; that is where their best chance lies. But Thompson's recent form indicates Great Britain has the individual advantage that can, if converted into team advantage, decide the contest.
Tip-off in three hours.
#U18EuroBasket #DivisionB #GreatBritain #Greece #WomensBasketball #Athena Thompson
You have reached the end.
