Belgian Cats finish Wuhan qualifiers with perfect record

The Belgian Cats wrapped up the FIBA World Cup qualifying tournament in Wuhan with a flawless record, defeating Czech Republic 93-50 on Tuesday.

The Czechs kept pace only in the opening quarter (18-17), but Belgium pulled away to lead 45-32 at half-time. After the break, the Cats dominated completely, finishing with a 43-point victory. Kyara Linskens was top scorer with 22 points and nine rebounds, while Julie Vanloo added 15 points and nine assists. Emma Meesseman narrowly missed a triple-double with 14 points, nine rebounds and nine assists, and Billie Massey contributed 11 points.

As European champions, the Cats are already qualified for the World Cup in Berlin this September. Coach Mike Thibault used the Wuhan tournament to refine team patterns. Belgium previously defeated Brazil 99-70, China 80-65, Mali 81-50, and South Sudan 102-64.

Belgium finished the qualifiers with the maximum 10 points. Alongside the Cats, three more teams will join the World Cup. Currently, hosts China (7 points) lead Mali (7), Czech Republic (7), Brazil (6) and South Sudan (5). Belgium’s strong performances in Wuhan have also earned valuable ranking points, which will influence the World Cup draw on 21 April.

^{© BELGA PHOTO NIKOLA KRSTIC}