Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the Women’s EuroBasket match.
The final quarter-final of the Women’s EuroBasket sees Belgium, one of the tournament’s frontrunners, take on Germany. The Germans only secured a knockout place in the final round and currently sit seven places below their opponents in the FIBA rankings. Unsurprisingly, expectations are heavily in favour of Belgium, with a projected double-digit margin.
Belgium (women)
Belgium cruised through the group stage, a performance in line with the high calibre of their roster. Centre Emma Meesseman is posting 18 points per game, while Kyara Linskens contributes 16.3 — both rank in the tournament’s top seven scorers. The rest of the team is focused on defensive duties, and the results have been impressive. For example, the Czech Republic, a reasonably solid side, were limited to just 60 points on 35% shooting.
Germany (women)
Germany recorded wins over Great Britain and Sweden in the group phase — both weaker opponents. However, they were outclassed by Spain (60:79), who themselves have not looked entirely convincing. One of the team’s key issues is their lack of interior presence. Averaging just 34 rebounds per game, the Germans rank 12th overall. That weakness will be especially exposed against Belgium, who are second in this category.
Belgium (women) vs Germany (women) Prediction
There is a significant disparity in quality between these two teams. Germany barely made it out of the group stage, and expectations are low for their performance in the knockout round. Meanwhile, the size and strength of Belgium's frontcourt should dominate proceedings in the paint. It’s hard to see the tournament favourites facing much resistance here.
