Our U18 girls started the European Championship on Friday with a loss against the Netherlands.
Luxembourg managed to enter half-time with the smallest possible lead of 1 point (28:27) behind a strong start by Dionne Madjo, she scored 13 points in the first two quarters for our team.
The game was close until the middle of the fourth quarter when the Netherlands started to pull away. Luxembourg had too many turnovers (37) and could not close the gap in the final minutes. Dionne Madjo scored 23 points and added 13 rebounds to lead the FLBB squad.
game stats –> Luxembourg – Netherlands boxscore
Coaching staff:
„We went head-to-head with the Netherlands for three quarters and showed real fight throughout the game. In the end, the difference came down to energy and execution — we simply didn’t have enough left in the tank, and with 37 turnovers, it’s nearly impossible to win a game at this level.
That said, there’s no reproach to the team. The players fought with a great attitude and gave effort for the full 40 minutes — and that’s exactly what we were looking for.
Tomorrow, we face Estonia, a team with clear ambitions to finish in the top 8. They play fast-paced basketball and bring aggressive defensive pressure — another big challenge, but we’ll be ready to give our best once again. »
Results and upcoming games (group B)
Luxembourg – Netherlands 55:65
Saturday: 19:30 Luxembourg – Estland
Sunday: 17:00 Luxembourg – Slovakia
Tuesday: 14:30 Luxembourg – Austria
Live stats, stream and information about the tournament (FIBA) –> U18 European Championship / FIBA
Picture: FIBA
