Serbia's Dragana Stankovic (L) vies with Viktoryia Hasper of Belarus during the FIBA Women's EuroBasket group D basketball match between Belarus and Serbia in Zrenjanin, Serbia, on June 27, 2019. Serbia won 55-53. (Xinhua/Predrag Milosavljevic)
BELGRADE, June 27 (Xinhua) -- Belgian women's basketball team started EuroBasket with a triumph in Group D against Russia in Zrenjanin, Serbia on Thursday, while Italy overcame Turkey in Group C in Nis.
The FIBA Women's EuroBasket 2019, started here in the cities of Zrenjanin and Nis. The event, co-hosted by Latvia and Serbia, sees a total of 16 teams pitted in four groups at the group stage.
In the opening match Hungary came back in the fourth quarter to defeat Slovenia 88-84 in a Group C match.
Belgium, bronze medalists from last Eurobasket, and world's 4th ranked team, overcame Russia at the Crystal Hall 67-54. Emma Meesseman scored 29 points, along with 9 rebounds for the winning team.
Italy, ranked 7th at last EuroBasket, fought hard to defeat 5th-ranked Turkey 57-54 at the Cair sports center. Giorgia Sottana contributed 16 points.
In group D, home team Serbia got a last gasp victory against Belarus in dying seconds to win 55-53, highlighting Sonja Petrovic as the hero of the match as she bagged 18 points.
