In the semi-finals, on Saturday, the players of Laurent François will meet Finland, winner of group C, who beat the Montenegro 64-52 in his quarter-final. Jada Lynch released a great first half against the Poles. The daughter of Brian Lynch, former player and current basketball coach, and Kim Clijsters, the former world tennis N.1, scored a total of 17 points (out of the 35 of her team) at 5/11. The rear then experienced a difficult 3rd quarter, like Belgium, missing its six shots. The Poles won the 9-19 period and equalized in the Marquer 44-44.
Several awarded shots and defensive stops for young Cats at the start of the last quarter gave the advantage (52-45) that they kept until the end. Lynch finished best director with 22 points (8 rebounds, 4 assists). Aurelie Vanderstraeten added 11 (plus 3 interceptions) and Zhen Verburgt 9. Annie Kibedi captured 9 rebounds. The Belgians aligned a 5th success in a row after the three in group B at the expense of Hungary, Latvia and Portugal and then that in the round of 16 on Israel. Belgium won the Euro for those under 18 in 2011 and 2017. During the last edition, won by France, in Portugal in 2024, the young Cats had taken 7th place.
