Belgian Revenge: Rivals maul Opals to top Cup group

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A nightmare offensive performance has forced the Australian Opals into the qualification stage at the FIBA Women's World Cup in Berlin after missing out on top spot in Group C following an 80-68 defeat at the hands of rivals Belgium.

There was a lot at stake for both teams heading into their final group stage games with the winner to progress straight through to the quarter-finals but the Opals couldn't find any rhythm on the offensive end, shooting just 44% from the field and going 3-from-19 for just 19% from the three-point line in the 12-point defeat.

Australia will play Italy early on Thursday morning (4.45am) for a spot in the quarter-finals against European powerhouse Spain.

"Obviously disappointed we didn’t get the result that we wanted tonight," head coach Sandy Brondello said.

"Belgium were clearly the better team. I just think we went away from what our identity is.

"You see the chemistry that they have. They just found solutions and moved the ball until they got the best look.

"We can learn a lot from this. We’re still alive. We just have to get ready for the next game, learn, move forward and be better."

Belgium, led by WNBA star Emma Meesseman, didn't allow duo Steph Talbot (eight points) and Ezi Magbegor (15 points) to carry the load for Australia as they did earlier in the tournament and without injured Dallas Wings centre Alanna Smith, the Opals struggled to find enough offence to stay in the game.

Last season's WNBL MVP Isobel Borlase started to find her way late in the game, finishing with 10 points off 5-from-8 shooting, while point guard Jade Melbourne tried to provide a park for her team but finished with 10 points off just 3-from-12 from the field.

Belgium looked like running away with the game in the second quarter but the Opals fought back to trail by just two points heading into the final break.

But eight turnovers in the final period as well as an inability to finish in the paint cost Sandy Brondello's side dearly and Belgium made them pay.

The Opals as 20 layups or paint finishes.

Australia’s missed layups v Belgium

12 missed layups · from 27 attempts · Belgium 80 def Australia 68 · Group C, Berlin, September 7, 2026

Swipe the table sideways for more →

Player↕	Time↕	Shot↕	Score↕
Isabelle BourneNo. 34	Q1 8:30	Driving layup	2-2
Jade MelbourneNo. 2	Q1 6:37	LayupFast break, after turnover	7-4
Ezi MagbegorNo. 13	Q1 5:06	Driving layupBlocked by Kyara Linskens	10-9
Zitina AokusoNo. 22	Q1 3:01	LayupAfter turnover	17-13
Steph TalbotNo. 6	Q1 2:43	Layup	19-13
Zitina AokusoNo. 22	Q2 3:25	Driving layupBlocked by Kyara Linskens	33-27
Jade MelbourneNo. 2	Q2 1:49	Driving layup	37-31
Jade MelbourneNo. 2	Q3 8:27	Driving layup	43-36
Jade MelbourneNo. 2	Q3 7:59	Driving layup	43-36
Zitina AokusoNo. 22	Q3 5:03	LayupFast break	47-40
Jade MelbourneNo. 2	Q3 1:29	Driving layup	58-50
Steph TalbotNo. 6	Q4 6:40	Layup	67-57

Every layup Australia missed in Belgium’s 80-68 win, in the order it went up. Belgium’s score first. A layup that was blocked still counts as a miss — two of these were blocked, and the Belgian who blocked it is named.

How this list is put together, and the full layup count

This table is Australia only. Belgium missed 9 layups of its own; they are counted in the totals below but are not listed here.

The list comes straight from FIBA’s own play-by-play for the game, which records what every shot was and whether it went in. Only shots FIBA describes as layups are here: tip-ins, putbacks, hook shots and jump shots near the rim are recorded as different kinds of shot and are counted separately, so they are not in this table.

Both sides went to the layup often. Australia put up 27 and made 15; Belgium put up 20 and made 11. That is 47 layup attempts between them, and the 12 Australia missed are what this table lists. Jade Melbourne missed the most, with 5.

The score column is the score when the shot went up, Belgium first. A miss does not change it, so it reads as the state of the game at that moment rather than after the play.

The clock counts down within each quarter, the way it does in the arena, but sorting on the quarter, the clock or the score always puts the game back in the order it was played.

Meesseman was the engine for Belgium, finishing with 22 points and going 10-from-18 from the field, while also grabbing 10 rebounds and dishing out eight assists as the team - who lost to Australia in the 2024 Olympic Games bronze medal match - got their revenge, shooting 37% from beyond the arc which proved to be a key factor in their win.

Belgium had 27 assists compared to just 18 from the Opals, a sign of the difference in offensive execution between the two teams. They also had four others reach double figures to provide valuable support to Meesseman on the offensive end.

WNBA guard Julie Allemand, who plays for Brondello at the Toronto Tempo, finished with 11 points, four rebounds and seven assists.

"I chose Julie as the first pick in the expansion draft for a reason, because I think she’s the kind of player that you want to build around," Brondello added.

"She plays the game in the right way. She plays at both ends of the floor.

"She’s a pass-first point guard. In Toronto, I give her the green light to shoot more, and she still doesn’t shoot that much. She’s unselfish.

"The chemistry that she has with her teammates – she was a conductor out there, putting them in the right spots and making the right plays time after time.

"I’m obviously a big fan, and I’m happy that she’s on the Tempo team. I wasn’t a fan tonight."

Australia's loss means they will face the loser of the Group D clash between Italy and China for a spot in the quarter-finals, where they will face the winner of Group A if successful.

It's a daunting road for the Opals to reach the medal rounds with Italy having pushed Team USA all the way.

It's yet to be seen whether Smith, who has been sidelined with a lower leg injury, will return for the Opals.

FIBA commentators on the broadcast continued to discuss the lack of leadership within the Opals, following the losses of Cayla George and Sami Whitcomb in the lead up to the tournament, but Brondello's group will need to focus on improving offensively if they're to have a chance of reaching the medal rounds.