They had him very close. They stayed a small step away. They already saw it. But when it was time to finish the work, the collapse came. In Spain, the light went out when the gold was almost around their neck and Belgium climbed to the top of the podium. The Spaniards had to settle for silver when they had even led by ten points well into the third quarter. But in the last act Miguel Méndez’s team faded away. The star of the tournament, Meesseman (24 points), and Linskens (18) were vital. Spain is back in the drawer after being relegated in 2021, but could not avoid a certain bittersweet taste. Not surprisingly, the first Belgian advantage did not come until the 36th minute.
Belgium appeared in Ljubljana in the first final in its history with Meesseman absolutely in the vein of hits. The experienced Spain landed back in a territory that knows a lot about teamwork as the main exponent. Belgium had been an offensive cyclone. Spain, a defensive hammer and a heart in attack. Different styles that were contrasted from the beginning. Meesseman stung the hoop with her versatility, but the selection of Miguel Méndez multiplied the aid system and the other Belgian players were neutralized.
With the hands, with the body, with whatever, Spain collected ball recoveries, precious possessions to mark the line of the match. On the other side of the track, Alba Torrens emerged punctually, in a much less dazzling version than in the semi-finals. But Spain, in this championship, did not depend on a single player. Raquel Carrera took the witness, alive under the hoops when it comes to capturing offensive rebounds and transforming them into points. O Queralt Casas, very accurate pulling and penetrating. The base of Bescanó arrived at the intermission with 11 points and the forecast of confidence to the maximum. From the beginning he took the reins of electronic Spain. With distances not very wide, but significant. Especially because the Spaniards had managed to hinder the offensive maneuvers of Belgium, who found a vein of diversification with some action from Vanloo and the corpulent Linskens. Despite everything, Spain ended the first quarter in the lead (17-13).
The changes did not lower the Spanish tone. The illustrious Silvia Domínguez came out to pilot the operations and Paula Ginzo promised in the same way as in the semi-finals. The second triple by Queralt Casas raised the score (24-15 minute 14) and the alarms went off in a bewildered Belgium. Vanloo came to the rescue, but another triple, this time by Maite Cazorla, meant that Spain went to the refreshment room with good feelings (32-25).
Vibrations that multiplied later, because Spain found new protagonists, such as Leonor Rodríguez, author of 7 almost consecutive points. The Spanish bench was celebrating and in the 29th minute Méndez’s team saw clear skies (48-38), but from there came the big blackout in the attack. There was no way to regain fluency. And despite the fact that in Belgium only four players scored, they had enough with the regularity of a huge Linskens and the inevitable Meesseman, first, to get close to Spain and, then, to turn the scoreboard upside down. A triple from the Belgian figure put Belgium ahead for the first time in the 36th minute. Despite the fact that Alba Torrens put Spain back on top, then there would be the last flash. In the final eleven minutes, the Spanish only scored ten points. At the worst moment, the gold escaped.
