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Sparks' Julie Allemand Leads Belgium to Second Straight FIBA EuroBasket Crown

Allemand and Belgium managed to retain their title in back-to-back fashion at this year's FIBA Women's EuroBasket.
Ben Geffner|
Aug 7, 2024; Paris, France; Belgium small forward Antonia Delaere (6) celebrates with teammates in the fourth quarter against Spain during the Paris 2024 Olympic Summer Games at Accor Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-Imagn Images
Aug 7, 2024; Paris, France; Belgium small forward Antonia Delaere (6) celebrates with teammates in the fourth quarter against Spain during the Paris 2024 Olympic Summer Games at Accor Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-Imagn Images | Kyle Terada-Imagn Images

Los Angeles Sparks' guard Julie Allemand and Belgium won their second consecutive FIBA EuroBasket crown on Sunday in dramatic fashion. Allemand poured in a game-high 19 points on 7-for-11 shooting in the 67-65 victory over Spain.

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Belgium's inspired comeback came with just three minutes remaining in the contest, when it found itself down 12 points. Five straight points from Allemand and a subsequent free throw from Julie Vanloo sealed the improbable win.

The title cemented Belgium as just the third national team in history to defend a EuroBasket crown. Aside from the Cats' latest run, only Spain and the Soviet Union have secured back-to-back titles.

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"We have to think about it and we have to trust it. We all want the same goal. We all want to improve," Allemand told FIBA in a May 14 interview prior to the July's EuroBasket 2025. "We all want to be able to understand anything we are missing, to correct it and have it for the next one - for this year and this summer.

"Sure, I wasn't there last summer, but now I'm going to be there [for FIBA Women's EuroBasket], and I think that it can still be all-time for me." she added.

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Just over a month later, her goal was realized.

Allemand has averaged 2.8 points, 2.6 rebounds and 2.8 assists in eight games for the Sparks in 2025. Prior to this year's campaign, her last WNBA appearance came in 2022 for the Sky — in which she averaged three points, 1.6 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game in 25 contests.

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For more news and notes on the Los Angeles Sparks, visit Los Angeles Sparks on SI.

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Ben Geffner
BEN GEFFNER

Ben Geffner is an award-winning sports journalist and current student at the University of Maryland's Philip Merrill College of Journalism. A greater Los Angeles native now with countless years of extensive and dedicated experience — including beat reporting, writing, play-by-play broadcast, television anchoring, podcasting and video production — Ben remains eager to contribute as credentialed media covering the LA Sparks.

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