Greece too strong for North Macedonia in U18 Division B clash
Greece defeated North Macedonia 73:42 in Tulcea; the Macedonian side lost a key player to injury and will meet Great Britain tomorrow at 20:00.
Greece overwhelmed North Macedonia 73:42 in the U18 Women's Division B European Championship match held in Tulcea, Romania, handing the North Macedonian juniors their second defeat in the tournament while Greece recorded its second victory.
The game opened with Greece leading 19:13 after the first ten minutes. In the second quarter North Macedonia remained in touch for a while — a second three-pointer by Koleva cut the gap to 16:24 — but Greece answered with a 14:4 run that moved the scoreboard to 38:20. At halftime Greece led 40:20.
North Macedonia suffered an additional setback before the match when Karajovanova — who injured her shoulder in the opening game against Denmark — was confirmed unable to continue at the European Championship and missed further appearances.
North Macedonia showed character but lacked depth
Under coach Viktor Petrovski the team rallied in the third quarter, reducing the deficit to 31:46 and briefly halving Greece's margin. Greece, however, re-established control and went into the final period ahead 51:31, then kept the advantage to finish 73:42.
The top performer for North Macedonia was Pislevska with 13 points and four rebounds; Koleva finished with 10 points, four rebounds and three assists.
In the third group-stage round, North Macedonia will face Great Britain tomorrow, starting at 20:00, seeking its first win of the championship.
Photo: press material from the event
