Day 1 recap: Slovenia shock Russia, Croatia surprise Lithuania, Portugal upset Czechs
MUNICH (Germany) - The opening day of the FIBA U16 Women's European Challengers witnessed a trio of surprises topped by Slovenia shocking Russia in Matosinhos as the curtain was raised at four of the five locations hosting tournaments.
Headlines:
- Slovenia pull off major upset of Russia in Matosinhos
- Croatia waste 26-point lead, still surprise Lithuania in San Fernando
- Portugal roll past Czech Republic in Matosinhos
- Belgium twice overcome double-digit deficits, run away from Poland in Matosinhos
- Serbia fight back from 13 points down to fend off Hungary in San Fernando
Day 1 Standout Performers:
Helsinki: Annika Patricia Soltua (Germany) -27 EFF / 22 PTS / 13 REB / 5 BLK
Helsinki: Elsa Lemmilä (Finland) - 29 EFF / 18 PTS / 8 REB / 6 BLK
Tbilisi: Irisi Gjona (Albania) - 25 EFF / 19 PTS / 15 REB / 3 AST / 4 STL
Tbilisi: Danika Galea (Malta) - 33 EFF / 21 PTS / 16 REB / 3 STL
San Fernando: Lana Beslic (Croatia) - 30 EFF / 26 PTS / 11 REB / 5 AST
San Fernando: Marija Avlijas (Serbia) - 22 EFF / 32 PTS / 5 REB
Matosinhos: Pauline Bayart (Belgium) - 29 EFF / 14 PTS / 16 REB / 6 BLK
Helsinki Challenger:
Group A
3/15 games played
| GAMES | STREAK | GAME POINTS | POINTS | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| # | Team | P | W | L | % | Last 5 | For | Agt | +/- | FA | AA | |
| 1 |  France |
1 | 1 | 0 | 100 | 87 | 45 | 42 | 87 | 45 | 2 | |
| 2 |  Germany |
1 | 1 | 0 | 100 | 65 | 47 | 18 | 65 | 47 | 2 | |
| 3 |  Finland |
1 | 1 | 0 | 100 | 76 | 75 | 1 | 76 | 75 | 2 | |
| 4 |  Latvia |
1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 75 | 76 | -1 | 75 | 76 | 1 | |
| 5 |  Greece |
1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 47 | 65 | -18 | 47 | 65 | 1 | |
| 6 |  Bulgaria |
1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 45 | 87 | -42 | 45 | 87 | 1 | |
Day 1 results: Hosts Finland held on in the final seconds to defeat Latvia 76-75. Germany raced to a 65-47 victory over Greece thanks to a 20-5 first quarter. France allowed just 12 points in the second half in an 87-45 win over Bulgaria.
San Fernando Challenger:
Group B
3/15 games played
| GAMES | STREAK | GAME POINTS | POINTS | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| # | Team | P | W | L | % | Last 5 | For | Agt | +/- | FA | AA | |
| 1 |  Spain |
1 | 1 | 0 | 100 | 98 | 49 | 49 | 98 | 49 | 2 | |
| 2 |  Croatia |
1 | 1 | 0 | 100 | 77 | 73 | 4 | 77 | 73 | 2 | |
| 3 |  Serbia |
1 | 1 | 0 | 100 | 58 | 55 | 3 | 58 | 55 | 2 | |
| 4 |  Hungary |
1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 55 | 58 | -3 | 55 | 58 | 1 | |
| 5 |  Lithuania |
1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 73 | 77 | -4 | 73 | 77 | 1 | |
| 6 |  Ukraine |
1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 49 | 98 | -49 | 49 | 98 | 1 | |
Day 1 results: Croatia finished third in Division B in 2019 but opened their San Fernando Challenger by knocking off 2019 Division A runners-up Lithuania 77-73 - and that after blowing a 26-point lead. Serbia needed a comeback for their Day 1 win, charging back from 13 points down and giving up just two points in the final 3 minutes of a 58-55 win over Hungary. Hosts Spain were never threatened in rolling past Ukraine 98-49.
Matosinhos Challenger:
Group C
3/15 games played
| GAMES | STREAK | GAME POINTS | POINTS | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| # | Team | P | W | L | % | Last 5 | For | Agt | +/- | FA | AA | |
| 1 |  Portugal |
1 | 1 | 0 | 100 | 71 | 54 | 17 | 71 | 54 | 2 | |
| 2 |  Belgium |
1 | 1 | 0 | 100 | 71 | 63 | 8 | 71 | 63 | 2 | |
| 3 |  Slovenia |
1 | 1 | 0 | 100 | 66 | 60 | 6 | 66 | 60 | 2 | |
| 4 |  Russia |
1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 60 | 66 | -6 | 60 | 66 | 1 | |
| 5 |  Poland |
1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 63 | 71 | -8 | 63 | 71 | 1 | |
| 6 |  Czech Republic |
1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 54 | 71 | -17 | 54 | 71 | 1 | |
Day 1 results: Slovenia started the event with a major shocker by knocking off Russia 66-60. The Balkan nation had only played in Division A at the FIBA U16 Women's European Championship in 1995, but they won the Division B crown in 2019 and now have surprised the 2019 U16 European champions. The Division B runners-up in 2019 Portugal gave the home crowd plenty to cheer about by defeating powers Czech Republic 71-54. Belgium for their part twice rallied from double-digit deficits and used a 19-8 fourth quarter to get past Poland 71-63.
Piestany Challenger:
Group D
0/15 games played
| GAMES | STREAK | GAME POINTS | POINTS | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| # | Team | P | W | L | % | Last 5 | For | Agt | +/- | FA | AA | |
| 1 |  Romania |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2 |  Israel |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 3 |  Ireland |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 4 |  Slovakia |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 5 |  Switzerland |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 6 |  Luxembourg |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
Games in the Piestany Challenger will commence on August 11th.
Tbilisi Challenger:
Group E
2/10 games played
| GAMES | STREAK | GAME POINTS | POINTS | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| # | Team | P | W | L | % | Last 5 | For | Agt | +/- | FA | AA | |
| 1 |  Malta |
1 | 1 | 0 | 100 | 71 | 28 | 43 | 71 | 28 | 2 | |
| 2 |  Albania |
1 | 1 | 0 | 100 | 61 | 37 | 24 | 61 | 37 | 2 | |
| 3 |  Armenia |
1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 37 | 61 | -24 | 37 | 61 | 1 | |
| 4 |  Georgia |
1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 28 | 71 | -43 | 28 | 71 | 1 | |
| 5 |  North Macedonia |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
Day 1 results: Albania were never challenged in a 61-37 win over Armenia. Malta wasted no time with a 22-3 first quarter en route to a 71-28 blowout of hosts Georgia.
FIBA
