In the Round of 16 at the European Championship in Stockholm, the U18 women's national team suffered a catastrophic 100:25 loss to Spain, but continues the tournament fighting for survival in the A Division.
The Croatian U18 women's national team suffered a heavy defeat in the Round of 16 at the European Championship in Stockholm. Spain triumphed with an incredible 100:25 on Wednesday, August 5, 2026, a margin of 75 points. Following this loss, the Croatian junior women move to the classification round for places 9-16, where they will fight to remain in the elite A Division.
Spain took complete control from the very start of the match. Croatia struggled to find solutions against the opponents' tough defense, which efficiently punished every turnover and capitalized on transition opportunities. After the first quarter, the scoreboard already read 27:7 in favor of Spain.
In the second period, the lead continued to grow, and the teams went into halftime with a score of 53:11. Croatia tried to find a better rhythm on offense in the second half, but Spain did not let up. Heading into the final quarter, they led 72:17, and by the end of the game, they simply confirmed the victory with a final score of 100:25.
For the Croatian national team, Nina Bilić was the top scorer with seven points. Olivija Vukoša added five points and grabbed eight rebounds, but she had a very poor shooting night, making just 1 of 13 from the field.
Despite the painful loss, the Croatian basketball players are turning their attention to a new opportunity. As announced by the Croatian Basketball Federation (HKS), their first game in the classification round for places 9-16 will be played on Thursday, August 6, 2026, at 1:15 PM. Their opponent will be Hungary, and a win is crucial for staying in the A Division of EuroBasket.
