Alba Torrens knocks down Hungary and Spain will look for its fifth gold
Spain could not be vertigo. In a game destined for a more hectic ending than he would have liked, he ended up beating Hungary (69-60) and will fight for gold in the Eurobasket. Alba Torrens, author of 27 points after a very high-voltage first half, and Maite Cazorla (16 points) were the great offensive arguments of a team always supportive and perfectly built from a relentless defense when their gears are well aligned. Some tasks, the destructive ones, in which once again the work carried out by Laura Gil must be highlighted, always ready to sacrifice the personal for the collective.
It will be the sixth final for Spain, in search of its fifth continental title after the golds of 1993, 2013, 2017 and 2019. And the first for Belgium, who got rid of France in the other semifinal (67-63) thanks to Emma Meesseman (24 points) and Julie Vanloo (18).. After the bronzes of 2017 and 2021, the Belgian Cats are emerging as a formidable challenge for the group led by Miguel Méndez, who after the defeat in their debut against Latvia has been increasing their performance in an amazing way.
The usual defensive intensity once again colored the opening stages of the semifinal, with an exchange of blows between Alba Torrens and Cyesha Goree. Despite the constant alternatives on the scoreboard, the feelings were tremendously positive.
Triples for 36-20
In fact, the optimism was confirmed during the second period, with a 18-6 run that allowed Spain to open a gap of 16 points (36-20).. Alba Torrens, again, and Maite Cazorla, each with two triples, contributed decisively to give Hungary a hard blow from which, however, the rival would end up recovering thanks to a final arreón from Agnes Studer, who would send the clash to rest with a 38-28. The destructive work of the team crystallized in several losses of the rival, one of the keys to a second act that could have been even more decisive for Spain.
After the break, despite the fact that they managed to get back 16 points up with a very good start, Hungary, putting one more gear in defense, managed to cut the gap to four points with a 4-18 run, thanks to the timely appearances by Reka Lelik, Veronika Kanyasi and the tournament giant, Bernadett Hatar (2.08 m.), who would send the duel to the last quarter with a 50-46 score.
In the last period, the Hungarians redoubled their efforts to get three points behind (56-53), but Spain, recovering its best performance in defensive tasks and with the timely appearance of Maite Cazorla, would know how to grit its teeth to suffer just enough. With a final quarter of 13-7, in which Studer's pulse trembled again on free throws, his great Achilles heel in this tournament, the team led by Miguel Méndez achieved a more than deserved victory by 69 -60 that puts him, again, in the grand final of a European.