Emma Meesseman scored 22 points and grabbed 10 rebounds as Belgium beat Australia 80-68 to top Group C and advance directly to the World Cup quarter-finals.
Belgium led Australia as the fourth quarter began in Berlin, then bolted with a late run that put the game beyond reach. Emma Meesseman finished with 22 points and 10 rebounds in an 80-68 victory that secured first place in Group C and a direct place in Thursday's quarter-finals, and Belgium stretched a lead entering the fourth with an 11-2 burst that the Opals could not answer.
Julie Allemand added seven assists, bringing her all-time World Cup tally to 111. Elsewhere in Group C, Puerto Rico eliminated Turkey 75-71 with Arella Guirantes scoring 21, and will next face the winner of Italy-China; Belgium will be idle until Thursday while second and third place teams contest qualifying games on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Game and key performances
Emma Meesseman has been the steady catalyst behind Belgium's group phase, not just a scorer on the night. She entered the final day averaging 18.3 points, 8.0 rebounds and 5.3 assists per game, and she shot 50% from the field across Belgium's three group matches. Against Turkey earlier in the week she produced 27 points and nine rebounds, a reminder that her production has come in more than one form.
France supplied the flashiest performance elsewhere, as the team set a record for 3-pointers in a single game with 22, and Gabby Williams led the charge with 25 points and six rebounds. Hungary also made a mark, beating South Korea 82-73 to finish second in Group B.
Those numbers matter because the knockouts reward teams that can combine individual bursts with reliable, repeatable production across games, which is what Belgium will be leaning on as the tournament moves into the last eight.
Group standings and tournament results
Belgium's first place in Group C gives the European champions a clean run into the quarterfinals, and they will be off until Thursday while other sides contest play-ins. The finish keeps Belgium out of the two-day qualifying stage that decides the remaining last eight.
France, already assured of a quarterfinal spot, produced the tournament's biggest scoring margin and set a record for 3-pointers in a single game with 22. Gabby Williams led that performance with 25 points and six rebounds, while Hungary finished second in Group B after beating South Korea 82-73.
Second and third place teams across the groups move into qualifying games on Tuesday and Wednesday to fill the remaining quarterfinal berths. Puerto Rico advanced from Group C with a 75-71 victory over Turkey and will face the winner of the Italy-China match in the next playoff round.
Quarterfinals set for Thursday
Belgium’s direct route into Thursday’s quarterfinals turns the immediate spotlight onto the play-in matches still to be played on Tuesday and Wednesday. Those two days of qualifying will decide the four opponents that Belgium could face, leaving the European champions with a known schedule but an unknown adversary.
That gap gives Belgium time to rest and to rehearse rotations, and it forces a tactical choice about how much to change before facing a team that will have just come through a do-or-die win. Emma Meesseman’s player profile is where to watch minute and usage trends that the coaching staff might manage over the layoff.
What Belgium stands to gain is clear: fresher legs and a chance to fine tune matchups. If those two idle days fail to sharpen sharpness, the quarterfinal on Thursday could hinge on a single swing possession and end Belgium’s run.
Originally reported by The Associated Press.
