Belgium falls to France and is eliminated from World Cup qualifiers

Belgium's national basketball team suffered a 72-80 defeat against France in Antwerp on Tuesday, effectively ending their chances of qualifying for the 2027 FIBA World Cup. The match was a must-win for Belgium, but they faced a star-studded French squad featuring several NBA and top EuroLeague players.

Compared to their previous encounter in November, when France had no EuroLeague players, this time the visitors boasted Rudy Gobert, Bilal Coulibaly, Maxime Raynaud, and Jaylen Hoard. Despite the odds, Belgium fought bravely. After trailing 32-15 at halftime, they stormed back to 43-45 in the third quarter. However, France's superior skill prevailed in the final stretch.

Emanuel Lecomte led Belgium with 17 points. For France, Bilal Coulibaly scored 13, while Maxime Raynaud and Jaylen Hoard each contributed 10 points and 4 rebounds. Rudy Gobert added 8 points and 11 rebounds.

With the loss, Belgium remains bottom of Group G with a 0-5 record. France, Finland, and Hungary continue their quest for the next round.