Belgium have successfully defended their title in Women’s EuroBasket 2025 after a jaw-dropping finish in the final game. The Cats came back from 12 points down in the final three minutes to steal the gold medal from Spain, who should’ve won the game if not for their late miscue down the stretch.
On the other hand, Italy won the bronze medal after beating France in the third-place game, marking a historic milestone for the Azzurri. In the other classification games, Germany and Turkey finished fifth and seventh, while the Czech Republic and Lithuania finished sixth and eighth.
Fans over at Peace and Friendship Stadium in Piraeus, Greece, were treated to numerous Women’s EuroBasket 2025 highlights, especially in the final. Overall, it’s great to see some of the sport’s legends supporting the women’s game.
Just in case you missed it, SBOTOP has you covered with the latest in Europe.
Meesseman adds to her growing trophy cabinet
Belgium were not to be denied against Spain, as they fought back from a double-digit deficit and were extremely lucky down the stretch.
Spain led 65-64 with 17.5 seconds left, and all they had to do was to play keepaway from Belgium. However, after the ball crossed from halfcourt, Mariona Ortiz inexplicably threw the ball away to Antonia Delaere, who converted the go-ahead layup for Belgium with 5.4 seconds remaining.
Raquel Carrera received the ball and tried to dribble past multiple Belgian defenders for a game-winning attempt, but she was called for a double-dribble violation. Julie Vanloo drew a foul and made one of her two free throws, and that was the ball game.
Julie Allemand led Belgium in scoring with 19 points, four rebounds, two assists, and two steals on 7-for-11 shooting. Kyara Linskens had 17 points and six rebounds on 7-for-9 shooting, and Emma Meesseman flirted with a triple-double with 16 points, 11 rebounds, seven assists, and five steals on 7-for-17 shooting.
Meesseman had been dominant throughout the tournament, so it’s not a surprise she won the MVP award for the second straight time, making her the first woman to achieve the rare milestone. The 32-year-old do-it-all forward averaged 19.2 points, 9.2 rebounds, 5.3 assists, 2.3 steals, and 1.8 blocks per outing across the Cats’ six wins.
“If individual awards come along then I am fine with that, but I will always be most proud of this trophy and the team that I did it with,” Meesseman said. “Especially where we came from. It’s not like we ever had a history like France or Spain. We just did it with this group. This (MVP award) might be catching some dust, but this (the gold medal) will always be on show. It’s the thing I will remember always.”
Italy end agonizing three-decade wait
Italy bounced back from their semifinal heartbreak against Belgium by winning 69-54 over France in the bronze medal matchup last Sunday for their first podium finish since settling for the silver medal in 1995 against Ukraine.
The Azzurri fended off France’s late challenge, as they saw their double-digit advantage reduced to five points with just over five minutes remaining in the fourth period. However, a huge three-point made by Cecilia Zandalasini restored order for Italy, who never looked back.
The Valkyries guard accumulated 20 points (game-high), two rebounds, three assists, and three steals on 6-for-12 shooting. Costanza Verona and Lorela Cubaj added 11 and 10 points. Zandalasini was outstanding throughout the tournament, as she averaged 16.8 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 3.0 assists per contest.
To make things sweeter for Italy, which defied the Women’s EuroBasket 2025 odds, FIBA named Andrea Capobianco the best coach of the tournament. Capobianco masterminded Italy’s first podium finish in three decades by guiding his team to a solid 5-1 record.
Who won the notable individual awards?
Emma Meesseman, Cecilia Zandalasini, Alba Torrens, Raquel Carrera, and Julie Allemand were named to the TISSOT All-Star Five after guiding their teams to podium finishes this tournament. Meesseman, Torrens, and Allemand have been here before, unlike Carrera and Zandalasini.
Meanwhile, Juste Jocyte won the Rising Star award after a stellar tournament debut. The 19-year-old guard led Lithuania to the quarterfinals, averaging 16.0 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 5.2 assists per game across six appearances. Jocyte, drafted fifth overall by the Valkyries in this year’s WNBA draft, will make her league debut next year.
Spain’s Mariona Ortiz also left a mark in her Women’s EuroBasket debut by winning the Best Defensive Player honor. The 33-year-old combo guard averaged 5.3 points, 4.3 rebounds, 4.8 assists, 1.3 steals, and 0.5 blocks per game.
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