PEJA (Kosovo) - Malta defeated Cyprus 56-35 to secure the FIBA U18 Women's EuroBasket, Division C title after taking early control and never looking back.
They laid the foundations for victory with a dominant first half, limiting their opponents to just five points before building a commanding 24-5 lead at the break.
Cyprus responded after half-time, outscoring Malta 20-17 in the third quarter to briefly reduce the deficit. Malta quickly regained control, however, restoring a comfortable double-digit cushion before pulling away again in the fourth quarter to seal the title.
Samira Deguara led the winners with 16 points and 7 rebounds, while Caitlyn Grima added 12 points and 7 rebounds. Claire Portelli controlled the boards with 13 rebounds to go with 8 points, 3 assists and 2 steals.
Cyprus struggled to generate consistent offence throughout the contest, with Anna Koukouri the only player to reach double figures with 10 points.
The victory secured Malta's first Division C title since 2023 after the team finished third in last year's competition.
Meanwhile, hosts Kosovo capped off their campaign by claiming the bronze medal with a 74-58 victory over Georgia. Malvina Haziri led the way with 25 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists and 4 steals, while Jeta Muzliukaj added 17 points and 7 rebounds.
FIBA