After a year plagued by injuries and a rocky start to the tournament, VUB alumna Antonia Delaere scored the decisive points that clinched the European Championship for the Belgian Cats. The team successfully defended their European title, and Delaere sealed the victory with a dramatic final play — scoring in the dying seconds of the game to give Belgium a nail-biting 67–65 win over Spain in the final. It was a historic moment for Belgian sport, and one that VUB can proudly share in.
Delaere’s path to this triumph was anything but easy. The 30-year-old forward missed the European Championship qualifiers earlier this year due to a hernia, following a lengthy recovery from a shoulder injury that had already kept her sidelined for months in 2024. Naturally, questions loomed over whether she’d be able to return to top form.
Her tournament began with disappointment. In the opening game, she missed all eleven of her shot attempts, clearly still searching for rhythm and confidence. But Delaere didn’t give up. In the semi-final against Italy, she showed flashes of her class — even sinking the decisive three-pointer in the closing moments that sent the Belgian Cats through to the final.
And in that final, she proved her comeback was complete. For most of the game, it looked like the Cats were heading for defeat. With under three minutes to go, Belgium trailed Spain by 12 points. But the team battled back. After crucial scores from Linskens and Allemand, Belgium closed the gap to just one point. Then, in the dying seconds, Delaere struck: intercepting a pass and calmly finishing for 66–65. Julie Vanloo added the final point from the free throw line.
Emma Meesseman was named Most Valuable Player of both the match and the tournament. Delaere, meanwhile, was modest about her role — but couldn’t hide her joy after the final whistle. “This is the most beautiful moment of my career,” she told the press. “After everything I’ve been through, this feels like a reward for all the hard work.”