FIBA Women’s World Cup: Meesseman’s Record 27 Points Powers Belgium Past Turkey
BERLIN—Emma Meesseman delivered a masterclass performance as the Belgian Cats overturned a halftime deficit to defeat Turkey 89-75 in their FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup opener at the Max-Schmeling-Halle.
Meesseman broke the Belgian World Cup scoring record, racking up 27 points, nine rebounds, and five assists to earn player-of-the-game honours.
The victory solidifies Belgium’s status as a tournament heavyweight, while Turkey proved they can compete with the world’s elite despite the opening loss.
Third-Quarter Blitz Decides the Opener
The match lived up to the pre-game hype, with atmospheric crowds from both nations gathering outside the arena before tip-off. In the first half, Belgium took a slim 26-24 lead in the first quarter, but Turkey roared back.
Driven by strong performances from Goksen Fitik and Sevgi Uzun, Turkey capitalized on defensive stops to edge ahead 45-44 at halftime.
The back-to-back European champions adjusted their game plan during the break. Belgium smothered Turkey defensively in the third quarter, outscoring them 27-9 to build a commanding 71-54 lead that Turkey could not recover from.
