Belgium from minus 12 to defend title, Spain's unbelievable blunder

The Belgian women's basketball team won the gold medal at the European Championship, after defeating Spain 67:65 (18:19, 13:18, 18:15, 18:13) in the final in Piraeus tonight.

Belgian Emma Messeman was named the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the finals, as well as the entire championship.

The most efficient player for the Belgian national team in the final was Julie Allemont with 19 points. Chiara Linskens added 17 points and six rebounds, while Messeman recorded 16 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists.

For the Spanish team, Paula Ginso, Elena Puejo and Aina Ajuso were the most efficient with 11 points each.

Spain took a 12-point lead with three minutes left in the game on a Puejo basket, 65:53. After Puejo's goal, the Belgian women's basketball team went on an 11:0 run, which brought them within a point (64:65) with 18 seconds left in the match.

After this, Spain's coach Miguel Mendes called a timeout, and the Spanish women's basketball team lost possession of the ball after it, and Belgium then took a 66:65 lead with five seconds left in the game thanks to a layup by Antonia Delara.

The Spanish national team lost the ball again in the next possession, this time due to a mistake in Raquel Carrera's steps, and the Spanish basketball team committed a foul after the Belgian national team's ball was introduced with 0,6 seconds left in the game.

Julie Vanlo hit the first free throw and missed the second, after which the Spanish basketball team failed to get a shot on target in time, so the Belgian national team won 67:65 and became European champions.

This is the second European Championship title won by the Belgian national team, after defeating Spain in the final of the previous European Championship.