BERLIN – The final round of group stage matches at the Women’s FIBA World Cup delivered two dramatic results on Monday, as star forward Emma Meesseman powered Belgium to a first-place finish in Group C, while a fourth-quarter comeback from Puerto Rico knocked Turkey out of the tournament entirely.
Led by their standout Meesseman, who notched an impressive double-double of 22 points and 10 rebounds, European champion Belgium pulled away from Australia to secure an 80-68 win. The contest remained tight through the first three quarters, with Belgium holding only a five-point edge as the teams entered the final period. A blistering 11-2 opening run to start the fourth quarter pushed the Belgian advantage into double figures, a gap Australia’s Opals could not close despite repeated pushback attempts. A raucous, pro-Belgian home-away-from-home crowd filled the arena, waving national flags and roaring for their side throughout the decisive run.
With the top seed in Group C, Belgium earns a direct spot in the tournament’s quarterfinals and will not return to action until Thursday. Australia, which finished second in the group, will face a do-or-die playoff match on Wednesday against the winner of the late Group D game between Italy and China, scheduled for later that same day.
In the other upset of Monday’s action, Puerto Rico mounted a stunning late comeback to defeat Turkey 75-71, booking their own spot in the playoff round and ending Turkey’s World Cup run. Guard Arella Guirantes led all Puerto Rican scorers with 21 points, including two game-clinching free throws in the final seconds that sealed the victory despite loud efforts from Turkey’s fan section at Berlin’s Max-Schmeling-Halle to distract her.
Trailing by seven points as the fourth quarter got underway, Puerto Rico turned the game around behind strong play from Imani McGee-Stafford and guard Pamela Rosado. After McGee-Stafford drew Puerto Rico within striking distance, Rosado knocked back-to-back three-pointers to give the underdog side a 59-58 lead they would never relinquish. Puerto Rico will next face the winner of the Italy-China Group D matchup in their playoff contest on Wednesday.
Monday’s results capped the first wave of final group stage matches, with the remaining groups set to decide their standings in games later that day. The tournament’s structure guarantees the four group winners an automatic berth in the eight-team quarterfinals, while second and third-place finishers compete in single-elimination playoffs on Tuesday and Wednesday to fill the remaining four quarterfinal spots. The lowest-finishing teams in each group are eliminated from the competition immediately.
In Group A, all four teams remain in contention for every possible standing heading into their final matches: hosts Germany (1-1) face Mali (1-1), while 2022 runner-up Spain (1-1) takes on Japan (1-1). Any of the four squads can still claim the group’s top spot and an automatic quarterfinal spot, or finish at the bottom of the group and exit the tournament entirely.
Group B’s top seed France already locked in a quarterfinal spot with two prior wins, and will close out group play against winless, already-eliminated Nigeria. The battle for the group’s second seed and a playoff spot will go to the final game between Hungary and South Korea, both holding 1-1 records heading into kickoff.
In Group D, Italy came within a last-second basket of upsetting defending champion the United States on Sunday night, and will face 1-1 China on Monday evening to decide second place. The United States (2-0) already locked in an automatic quarterfinal spot and will close group play against the Czech Republic, which has already been eliminated after two opening losses.