BRNO (Czechia) - Reigning FIBA Women's EuroBasket champions Belgium showed they could still be the team to beat as they strolled past rookies Portugal, while Czechia tore past Montenegro in front of their fans. Belgium avoided the upset against first-timers Portugal with a show of force, while Czechia showed they could be set for a deep run if they continue to shift through the gears.
Meesseman starts with a big show for Belgium
Portugal had dreamed of a huge shock on their first ever appearance at the event, but Belgium quickly ended those hopes with a brilliant 81-52 victory. Emma Meesseman was at the heart of the Cats' impressive curtain raiser and finished with a stellar 19 points, 11 rebounds and 6 assists.
However, it wasn't only about Meesseman. Belgium played some super team basketball and there was also a big contribution from Julie Vanloo who had 13 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists.
Czechia breathe instant fire in Brno
There was a top drawer effort from Czechia as they had their fans off their seats with a one-sided 89-44 success against Montenegro. On the front foot from the tip-off, they were unstoppable at times as they overwhelmed their Group C opponents.
Their strength under the basket was a particular feature, with Julia Reisengerova netting 14 points and rising star Emma Cechova racking up 11 points and 8 rebounds. Veronika Vorackova joined the party on the wings with a smart 12 points, 5 assists and 4 rebounds.
FIBA