Spain has a historic feast as filming for Hungary
Mendez’s men crush Iceland in Huelva and on Sunday they have the Eurobasket within range against the Hungarians
MADRID, 24 Nov. (.) –
The Spanish women’s basketball team defeated the Icelandic team with authority (120-54) this Thursday in the third match of the 2023 Eurobasket qualifying phase, a beating already at half-time that serves as a good filming for the clash for the lead and the direct ticket against Hungary on Sunday.
Miguel Méndez’s team returned to action at the Carolina Marín de Huelva Sports Palace with a comfortable match that got them back on track from a whirlwind start. At halftime, a 59-16 was the second best mark in the history of the team after 20 minutes and 120, his best score ever. Spain liked it and connected all its weapons to maintain the leadership of Group C with six points, for the five of Hungary.
It wasn’t just attacking. Four-time European champions Spain neutralized their rival on defense, leaving Iceland to six assists throughout the game. There was no combination or success in the visiting team, bottom of the group without victories, while the locals began with a 32-8 first quarter. Maite Cazorla and María Conde took that start, but Méndez rotated a lot.
Alba Torrens didn’t take long to appear and in the second quarter, to connect with the triple. Iceland took some pride in the restart, at times making up the luminous although the third set also ended up being for Spain (32-25). María Araújo did a bit of everything and Leticia Romero and María Conde brought joy back to the hostess’ score (92-45).
With more than thirty losses in Iceland (38), Méndez’s men continued with those recoveries, with an attack that ran whenever it could and that hammered from the outside. Laura Peña and later Queralt left the record for triples, which stood at 13, and with Laura Quevedo’s 16th, Méndez’s team achieved the national team’s all-time record in scoring.
On the horn came that 120, a process of good shooting and set-up to seek a second victory against Hungary, again in Huelva, to tie the lead against the biggest rival and leave the direct ticket to Eurobasket 2023 as first. Afterwards, Spain will have two comfortable games left in February against Romania and Iceland.
DATA SHEET.
–RESULT: SPAIN, 120 – ICELAND, 54. (59-16, at halftime).
–EQUIPMENT.
SPAIN: Cazorla (8), Romero (7), Conde (12), Aráujo (19) and Carrera (8) –starting five–, Rodríguez (14), Peña (7), Quevedo (8), Torrens ( 9), Etxarri (5), Ginzo (13), Casas (10), Ndour.
ICELAND: Thora Jonsdottir (4), Anna Svansdottir (8), Sara Run Hinriksdottir (16), Eva Kristjansdottir (-) and Hildur Kjartansdottir (13) –starting five–, Grimsdottir (-), Karlsdottir (-), Daviosdottir (-), Larusdottir (-), Aegisdottir (-), Sigureardottir (4), Alexandersdottir (9).
–PARTIALS: 32-8, 27-8, 32-25, 29-13.
–REFEREES: Ortis, Van Bochove and Pessoa. No deleted.
–PAVILION: Carolina Marín Sports Palace.
