Sweden Hand Russia First Loss

Cleopatra Forsman went on a personal 13-0 run in the third quarter as Sweden stunned Russia 65-56 in the U18 European Championship for Women.

The result saw Jan Enjebos girls improve to 1-2 in Group F of the Qualifying Round and in the process handed the mighty Russians their first loss of the tournament.

Sweden led 47-43 before Forsman caught fire, as she scored half of her game-high 26 points in just under three minutes. The forward was in such a zone that she made every one of her shots during that stretch.

The solo effort helped the Swedes take a 60-47 lead heading into the final frame.

But last years third-place team Russia then kept their opponents scoreless for the first 8:03 of the fourth quarter and were within four, 60-56.

The underdogs kept their cool down the stretch, with Danielle Hamilton-Carter converting a crucial three-point play that had Sweden up 63-56 with less than two minutes left to play.

Stefanie Yderstrom, Forsman and Hamilton-Carter combined for 32 first-half points as the underdogs recovered from an early 10-2 deficit to lead 42-37 at the break.

Even though the aforementioned trio stretched their teams advantage going up by as many as 10, 41-31 on a long bomb by Yderstrom it was thanks to some timely baskets from substitutes Kajsa Lundahl and Frida Fodgemark that Sweden were able to get the better of Olga Shuneykinas side.

Anastasia Logunova and Anna Ostroukhova had six points each in the opening period to help Russia take a 22-15 lead after the first quarter.

But Lundahl and Fodgemark helped Sweden tie the game at 24 all and the latter put her team up 27-26 on a three-pointer with 5:47 left in the half.

Hamilton-Carter and Yderstrom took over again but Russia closed within five, 42-37 on Tatiana Petrushinas half-time buzzer-beating three.

Petrushina had 13 points and Logunova chipped in with 10 points and nine rebounds.