Youth international basketball excitement in Naples on day 5
The youth international basketball U16 European Championships Women Division A in Naples has finally taken off.
For the first time since the start of the competition there were no blow-outs.
France are the only team undefeated after five days. You can read our full youth international basketball game report by clicking this: Greece 54-59 France or scrolling down the page.
The only team out of the race for a place in the quarter-final is Lithuania. So the matches on day 6 will be very interesting.
With all the excitement of the day we have summaries of the day’s action. You can read about the group of interest by selecting the link below or scrolling down the page.
Finland bounced back from their defeat against Italy on day 5 to beat Serbia (61-53).
The Finnish wolfs were led by Evita Iiskola who scored 16 points and took 9 rebounds.
The game itself went from one extreme to another as both sides had their moments and runs.
Finland appeared to have everything under control and were leading at the interval (39-24).
Serbia changed things around in the third period. They went on a 17-0 run to set up an interesting final quarter as they trailed by a single point (41-42).
Anette Juvonen from Finland settled her team's nerves with a trade-mark trey (48-41) with seven minutes to play. The two teams played cat and mouse for the remaining time with the Finnish team remaining focused to win (61-53).
In the last game of the evening Turkey beat Spain (67-64). It was a tough game for both sides after their defeats on day 5.
Olcay Cakir (right) was the pillar for Turkey with 17 points, 10 rebounds, 5 assists, a couple of steals and a block for her 37 minutes work.
Turkey's energy in the first half enabled them to lead (38-27) at the interval.
Spain went to work after the break and outscored Turkey 13-3) to reduce their deficit to a single point.
Spain finally went into the lead with a Yurena Diaz< three-pointer. However Turkey were not abdicating and went into the final quarter leading (50-49) thanks to a shot from beyond the arc by Gulsah Duman.
The first three minutes of the final period were typical U16 youth international basketball that drove both coaches mad as the teams traded basket for basket (53-53).
Turkey were the first team to settle down and put together the decisive break 7-0 to lead (61-53) with four minutes left to play.
As expected three-pointers started to fly in from all over the court from Spain. But Turkey also showed that they can score from beyond the arc.
Turkey still led by a single point as the game entered the last minute. Cakir scored the only points for Turkey during the last minute as Turkey held on for a crucial victory that keeps them in the hunt for a quarter-final place.
Belgium and Italy have qualified for the quarter-finals.
If Finland and Serbia lose in the final games then they are eliminated. If they win then, depending on what happens in the other games, the calculators will be out.
France and Russia are okay while Lithuania are out
Russia lost to Poland (61-65) but are still assured qualification for the quarter-final. They can still win the group if they beat France in the final game.
For Poland this victory gives them a chance of staying in the competition. A victory in their next game against the Czech Republic will see them through and eliminate Greece.
Poland’s victory against Russia was made more remarkable by the fact that Russia led (33-23) at the interval.
Poland fought back to lead at the end of the third period (42-41). The final period was a test of nerves for the coaches. The game was only decided in the last 30 seconds with the teams tied (61-61).
Magdalena Koperwas (left) was fouled with about 10 seconds left to play.
She calmly scored the two free-throws. Russia then messed up their last attack and and Koperwas was left free to score her 13th point of the game to secure the Polish victory (65-61).
For Russia Ksenia Tikhonenko scored 23 points and had 12 rebounds while Karolina Puss with 13 points led the Polish attack.
Lithuania's roller coaster championship has come to an end as Tereza Vyoralová (right) and the Czech Republic (61-62) beat them on the buzzer.
The match itself was fast and entertaining and was youth international basketball at its best.
Lithuania started the match well and led (20-9) during the first quarter but just edged the first period (20-17).
Ieva Kazlauskaite and Vita Zilinskaite were playing their hearts out for Lithuania and made sure that their team went into the interval leading (36-29).
The Czech Republic turned things around in the third period and went into the final quarter leading (52-48).
The last period was a nail biter with the Czech Republic leading until the 39th minute.
Then Zilinskaite somehow tied the game with a next to impossible shot in front of the basket.
With about 21 seconds left to play Kazlauskaite was fouled. She split the pair and Lithuanian were leading (61-60).
With 11 seconds left to play the Czech Republic appeared calm for the first 9 as they set up the last play. The ball reached Kamila Selucká who then missed her shot.
Then it went hectic and you knew that it was 16-year old ones playing basketball, Beáta Adamcová won the rebound and just tossed the ball up as it came off the backboard.
Vyoralová managed to make contact with the ball and it dropped in and Lithuania was out of the Qualification Round.
Vyoralova led the scoring for the Czech Republic with 19 points. She also had 10 rebounds.
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The youth international basketball U16 European Championships Women Division A in Naples has finally taken off. 
France were looking lost on the court and Greece took full advantage with Elisavet Politopoulou's (right) pace as she scored 5 points. A trey by Anastasia Slouka consolidated their advantage.
Anthoula Chatzigiakoumi (left) from Greece was causing France all kinds of problems as her side went into the final quarter still in front (46-39).
Belgium booked their ticket into the quarter-final by beating the host Italy (60-51). Julie Vanloo (left) from Belgium scored 22 points and Emma Messeman finished with a double-double of 17 points and 17 rebounds.
In the last game of the evening Turkey beat Spain (67-64). It was a tough game for both sides after their defeats on day 5.
Poland fought back to lead at the end of the third period (42-41). The final period was a test of nerves for the coaches. The game was only decided in the last 30 seconds with the teams tied (61-61).
Lithuania's roller coaster championship has come to an end as Tereza Vyoralová (right) and the Czech Republic (61-62) beat them on the buzzer.
