Greece top MKD to stay undefeated in Group A, six more teams climb to 2-0

PODGORICA (FIBA U16 Women's European Championship 2018, Division B) – Things are looking up for Greece in the FIBA U16 Women's European Championship 2018, Division B. After three unsuccessful promotion campaigns, the Greeks have inserted themselves in the conversation with back-to-back statement wins in Podgorica.

Having eased past the tournament hosts Montenegro on the opening day of action, the Dimitrios Bakogeorgos-coached Greeks moved to 2-0 with an equally impressive 83-41 victory over the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (MKD) in Group A.

Lamprini Polymeni needed just 20 minutes to get her tally to a team-high 16 points, while Ioanna Chatzileonti collected 15 points, 7 rebounds, 3 steals and a pair of blocks in the effortless win. Ilina Selcova was the only double-digit scorer for MKD with a 17-point and 8-rebound effort.

It has been easy cruising for coach Dimitrios Bakogeorgos and Greece so far in Group A

Sweden also stayed undefeated in Group A, scoring a 60-43 win over Great Britain behind a superior defensive performance. In the only other game in the table, Montenegro got off the mark with a 63-58 triumph against Iceland.

Five more teams followed the footsteps of Greece and Sweden and improved to 2-0 records in other corners of the Group Phase, as Portugal, Israel, Romania, Finland and Belarus got the job done elsewhere.

The Adriana Martins-led Portuguese side outlasted Slovenia 64-50 in the five-team Group B, with the 16-year-old point guard putting up 22 points on 7-of-15 shooting from the field and 10-of-10 from the free-throw line, while Filip Cruz chipped in with 10 points, 16 rebounds, 3 steals and 3 blocks.

Montenegro treated the home fans in Podgorica to a win over Iceland

After an opening-day defeat to the early front-runners Portugal, bounced back with a nail-biting 48-47 win over Slovakia to set themselves in the battle for the top two positions.

In Group C, Israel overwhelmed Luxembourg 78-46 after breaking away early in the third quarter and never looked back. Yarden Garzon paced the winners with a game-high 26 points, while Jo Oly had a team-high 17 in a losing effort for Luxembourg.

Meanwhile, Romania pulled another close win out of their hat in a 57-50 contest against Ireland as Rebecca Lopovan led the scoring with 15 points on an efficient 7-of-10 from the field. Switzerland got their first win of the tournament after besting Kosovo with a convincing 59-41 scoreline.

Finland are one of seven undefeated teams after the second day of action

Finland and Belarus stayed atop the Group D leaderboard, defeating neighbors Norway and Ukraine, respectively. Alexandra Ailus carried the Finns to an 82-67 victory with 24 points, while Belarus locked in a 63-47 win after outscoring their opponents from Ukraine 23-4 in the final stanza as Iryna Venskaya filled the boxscore with 20 points, 8 rebounds, 6 assists and 10 steals.

In the only other game of the day, Bosnia and Herzegovina put on a firework display against Albania in a one-sided 84-32 triumph, with Hena Spahic leading the scoring effort with a game-high 20 points.

FIBA