Women’s basketball team into semi-final in Macedonia

Scotland’s women achieved what the their male counterparts failed to do in San Marino last week when they reached tomorrow’s semi-finals of the European Basketball Championship for Small Countries in Ohrid, Macedonia, with an easy 81-19 win over Moldova. Scotland, who led 43-13 at half-time, went on an unprecedented 29-0 run in the second and third quarters and dominated the rebounds 55-35 but still had far too many turn-overs and missed lay-ups.

Polonia Phoenix centre Julie Ritchie grabbed 12 rebounds, but still struggled to hit the target and it was again left to the two US College players to lead the way, with 24 points from Deanne Hayward (Atlantic), who was five-from-seven from two-point range, and 20 points from Old Dominion’s Mairi Buchan, who added nine rebounds. Scotland will now play the hosts in the cross-overs for a place in Sunday’s final, and, having beaten Austria in Vienna recently, will be optimistic against a Macedonia team who beat Austria in their group yesterday.

Results: Scotland 81 Moldova 19, 
Macedonia (FYROM) 41 Austria 39, Wales 56 Gibraltar 48.