MADRID, 19 Jun. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The Spanish women’s team finished in eighth position in the Wheelchair Basketball World Cup that is taking place in Dubai after losing this Monday by a narrow 51-54 against Japan, thus not being able to defend seventh place in the previous edition.
Despite the fact that Spain arrived at the crossroads animated after chaining three wins in a row and finishing second in their group, from then on they have not been able to maintain the dynamics and have added three defeats in a row to say goodbye with a certain bitter taste to a championship where they have taken a step forward in the competitive, which must now be confirmed in the vital European Championship in August where their chances of being in the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games will be played.
It was a match of maximum equality and it was decided in the final stages, despite the fact that the team led by Franck Belen had a maximum advantage of nine points at the beginning of the second quarter (21-12), but was unable to take advantage of it after an offensive drought that caused him to only score four more points until a break that came with everything to be decided (25-25).
After passing through the changing rooms, Japan managed to take the initiative on the scoreboard and no longer lost it. The Asian team went up 50-52 with less than two minutes to go and Spain, despite having several possessions, was not able to equalize the score.
Beatriz Zudaire, the best of the game with 21 points and 15 rebounds, had two free throws to equalize, but only scored one with 21 seconds left, and then her rival wasted both of hers to give Naiara Rodríguez a triple finish that did not enter and finished with Spanish options.