The Czech Republic and Montenegro on Monday qualified for the 2023 FIBA Women’s EuroBasket quarterfinals.
The Czech Republic, who finished second in Group B, beat Group A’s third-placed team Greece 79-76 in the qualification stage at the Shlomo Group Arena in Tel Aviv, reports Xinhua.
With 5.4 seconds to the final buzzer, Petra Holesinska of the Czech Republic scored twice from the line, and then Pinelopi Pavlopoulou missed a three-pointer that would have sent the game to overtime.
Holesinska contributed 19 points and eight assists to the Czech win, while teammate Veronika Sipova added 15 points.
An impressive double-double of 26 points and 13 rebounds by Mariella Fasoula was not enough for Greece.
Later in the same arena, Group A runners-up Montenegro achieved a 63-49 win over Italy, who had finished third in Group B.
Milica Jovanovic scored 17 points for Montenegro, and Marija Lekovic added 15 more. Natasha Mack contributed to the win with a double-double of 13 points and 15 rebounds.
The Czech Republic and Montenegro thus joined Belgium and Spain to advance directly to the quarterfinals.
In the quarterfinals, which will be played in Slovenia’s capital Ljubljana on Thursday, the Czech Republic will play against Hungary, while Montenegro face France.
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