Glorious gold for France
SOPRON (FIBA U18 Women’s European Championship 2016) - MVP Alexia Chartereau capped a wonderful tournament with a double-double in the Final to lead France to a 74-44 victory over Spain.
Turning Point: Spain trailed by 13 at half-time but fought like warriors to bring the gap down to six on Lucia Alonso’s corner three, prompting French coach Arnaud Guppillotte to call timeout. His team responded well, with playmaker Camille Lenglet inspiring a surge at the end of the third period. They led by 11 heading into the fourth quarter, and offensive rebounds and put-backs from Ana Tadic and Marie Paule Foppossi early in the final period had France well in control. Loreen Kerboeuf’s shot-clock buzzer-beating three-pointer was the dagger blow that sealed the deal.
Stats Don’t Lie: France's fantastic defence held Spain to 25 percent shooting including just 3-of-20 from long-distance. France had almost twice as many assists as the Spanish team, with Tima Pouye running the show superbly with 7 assists.
Game Hero: Aside from the fantastic Pouye, tournament MVP Alexia Chartereau tallied a double-double in the big game, setting the tone with two swishes from behind the arc in the first quarter before finishing in style with another in the dying seconds. She led all scorers with 19 points, adding 12 boards and 3 assists.
FIBA