Slovakia U16 Women

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.

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.