Newsletters
Belgium defeated Türkiye 89-75 in their Group C opener at the 2026 FIBA Women's World Cup, pulling away with a decisive third-quarter surge after trailing at halftime.
The match, played at the Max-Schmeling-Halle arena in Berlin, Germany, marked the tournament opener for both teams in Group C, which also includes Australia. The 2026 FIBA Women's World Cup brings together national teams from across the world to compete for the sport's top international title.
The opening quarter was tightly contested. Belgium took a narrow 26-24 lead, while Beren Burke kept Türkiye within reach with her three-point shooting.
Belgium extended its advantage to four points early in the second quarter, but Goksen Fitik and Sevgi Uzun helped Türkiye erase the deficit. Türkiye carried a 45-44 lead into halftime.
Türkiye's narrow advantage disappeared quickly after the break. Belgium took control of the third quarter as Julie Vanloo and Emma Meesseman combined for 39 points, opening a 17-point lead heading into the final period. Türkiye managed just nine points in the quarter.
Belgium maintained its double-digit lead through the fourth quarter. Tilbe Senyurek Arslan came off the bench to score 10 points for Türkiye, but the team could not close the gap, and Belgium closed out the 89-75 win.
Speaking after the match, Türkiye head coach Andrea Mazzon said second-chance points were the deciding factor in the loss.
"I am really proud of the players. We shared the ball well and played together. Reaching double-digit scoring with five players is not easy against a team like Belgium. Belgium had three players who managed that, and Meesseman is a different level," Mazzon said.
"Second-chance points were decisive in our loss. We managed two points from second chances while Belgium scored 14. I think that was the real difference in the match."
Mazzon also pointed to turnovers in the third quarter as a turning point. "We had a chance to get back into the match, but Vanloo's three-point baskets hurt us a lot. Despite everything, we can take positives from this match.
Our players played an incredible match, and some competed at a World Cup for the first time. Everyone got minutes and contributed something. I think we did a good job," he said.
Looking ahead to Türkiye's next Group C game against Australia on Sunday, Mazzon said the team is confident it can compete with any opponent.
"We know we will play a team that won an Olympic bronze medal. A few months ago in Istanbul, we lost to Australia by a single possession. We believe we can compete with any team," Mazzon said.
"We played very good basketball for the first 20 minutes of this match, and we need to extend that for more of the game. If we play this way and compete well, I think we can go toe-to-toe with any team."
Türkiye will face Australia on Sunday in their second Group C game of the tournament, with both teams looking to secure their first win of the group stage.
Set as preferred source
Set as preferred source
2 min read
