29 points from Meesseman, and still nothing
Emma Meesseman turned it on. Twenty-nine points, eight rebounds. A captain’s performance.
It still wasn’t enough.
Germany beat Belgium 93-74 on Thursday night in Berlin in the World Cup quarter-finals. The Belgian Cats are heading home. Germany, meanwhile, are through to the first World Cup semi-final in their history. France await on Saturday afternoon.
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A game that slipped away before half-time
The Cats actually started well. Then Leonie Fiebich got going, finishing with 17 points and 10 rebounds. Alexandra Wilke put Germany ahead again after eight minutes. End of the first quarter: 19-22.
Mike Thibault sent his veterans back on the floor to snuff out the danger. Too late. Germany had their tails up: 21-32 by the 12th minute, then 27-36 by the 16th.
Julie Vanloo and Meesseman dragged Belgium back into it briefly (34-39, 18th). Alexis Peterson answered straight away, finishing with 13 points and six assists. 34-42 at half-time.
Sabally puts it to bed
The third quarter settled it. Nyara Sabally took control: 16 points, 12 rebounds. Marie Gulich chipped in with 12 points, while Frieda Buhner added 13 as Germany pulled away. 59-74 after 30 minutes.
Belgium never quite threw in the towel. Kyara Linskens finished with a double-double, 10 points and 10 rebounds. But the gap was always too big.
One detail will catch the eye in France: there was a French coach on each bench, Julie Barennes on Germany’s staff and Frederic Dusart with Belgium. Another reminder before Saturday: two years ago in Lille, Germany had already beaten Belgium in the Olympic group stage (83-69).
Les Bleues know what is coming. Germany at home, in their own building, with a crowd fresh from watching them sweep aside one of the continent’s best sides.
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