Women's Basketball World Cup: Belgium and France advance to quarterfinals

The Women's Basketball World Cup in Berlin has concluded its group stages, setting the stage for the knockout rounds. Belgium secured direct advancement to the quarterfinals after defeating Australia 80-68. During this match, Belgian player Julie Allemand set a new tournament record for assists, surpassing the previous mark of 108 held by Spain's Laia Palau.

France also advanced directly to the quarterfinals after finishing their group undefeated, highlighted by a 111-56 victory over Nigeria. Other group winners moving straight to the quarterfinals include Spain, France, Belgium, and the United States.

The United States team, despite a dominant win over China and a victory against the Czech Republic, faced scrutiny regarding team dynamics and a narrow 55-52 win over Italy. The U.S. squad is currently in a transitional phase following the departure of veteran leaders.

The Czech Republic concluded their tournament with a loss to the United States, finishing the group stage without a win. Despite the 64-105 defeat, players noted the difficulty of competing against the world's top-ranked team and expressed a positive outlook regarding their development for future Olympic qualification.