Belgian Lions – Belgium prepares its qualifications for the World Cup with a success against the Netherlands
The Belgian Lions, the national basketball team, won 73-71 (half-time: 38-41) against the Netherlands on Saturday in a friendly match in Ostend.
Deprived of Sam Van Rossom and Retin Obasohan, left to rest, or even Pierre-Antoine Gillet and Jean-Marc Mwema, packages for this international window, Dario Gjergja rotated his workforce on Saturday, offering a first cap to Thibault Vanderhaegen, Seppe D’Espallier and Roby Rogiers. While the scoreboard was 71-71 24 seconds from the buzzer, Manu Lecomte scored the victory lay-up 7 seconds from the end. Jito Kok, the former pivot of Mechelen and Charleroi, missed the basket of equalization on the buzzer for the ‘Oranje’. This match against the Netherlands served as preparation for the two qualifying matches for the 2023 World Cup against Slovakia (June 30 in Mons) and Serbia (July 3). Belgium are currently in 3rd place in Group A of the first qualifying round. In case of victory against Slovakia, the Lions will be qualified for the second round with the three teams of group B: Greece, Turkey and Great Britain. (Belgian)
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