Stories for day 6 from the youth international basketball festival in Skopje
U18 youth international basketball from Skopje, Macedonia
This page was updated during the day with live reports from the second hall. Due to internet communication problems, only some live reports were available from the top 8 games on Tuesday, 12 August in the first hall.
You can select the match of your interest by either scrolling down the page or by clicking on the links below:
U18 youth international basketball semi-final places for Latvia and Greece
Latvia won a youth international basketball classic in overtime against Hungary (78-70). Hungary led for the first 38 minutes of regular time.
Latvia, trailing by 6 points going into the last quarter, had to dig deep to take the game into overtime (62-62).
Hungary, drained of energy, were not able to survive the extra five minutes and allowed Latvia, led by Anete Steinberga's 15 points, to outscore them 16-8.
In the second youth international basketball game, not covered live, Greece prevailed in a low scoring game (48-46) against Estonia.
Macedonia started (6-0) with steals and fast breaks, which required a time-out by the Danish coach. Afterwards Denmark went on a 10-2 run to take the lead.
The Macedonian head coach picked up a technical with 3min22 to play in the first period after a continuous conversation with the officials. Ida Preetzmann put in the free-throws to extend the Danish lead (18-9).
Macedonia appeared to have left their defence in the other venue. Hence they allowed Denmark to walk into the paint and score at will. They allowed their guests to go ahead (26-15) by the end of the first period.
Denmark continued to dominate and increased their advantage (43-19). When they dropped their intensity Macedonia reduced their deficit slightly before Mogens Thygesen, the Danish head coach, called for a time-out.
Denmark then went into the interval with a comfortable margin (47-28).
Denmark continued to control the game and stretched their lead (57-38). Once again a drop in intensity allowed Macedonia to come back into the game. Jelena Antik hit a trey that sparked an 11-4 run that prompted the Danish staff to call for a time-out (45-62).
Then Denmark became more focused but Macedonia were on a run. So scoring became more difficult and the Danish advantage was reduced by the end of the third quarter (68-48).
Preetzmann appeared to set the nerves of her team mates with a quick basket to open the final quarter. But a trey moments later from Simona Janeveska from Macedonia unsettled them. Macedonia continued to press and while Denmark turned the ball over time and time again the gap reduced (62-72).
Things did not improve for the guests despite a time-out as Ana Tanurovska hit a trey (67-72) which resulted in a second time-out by Denmark.
Denmark were forced to dig deep as the home fans became the sixth player on the court.
Emile Hesseldal (right) changed things for Denmark as she ripped the ball out of the hands of Andzelika Mitrasinovik to score. She was fouled in the process and also converted her free-throws.
Hesseldal was back to score again (80-73) to give her side some breathing space.
Macedonia ran out of ideas and time allowing Denmark to record their second victory of the tournament.
Preetzmann scored for Denmark 30 points, followed by Krogh with 15 points.
In double figures for Macedonia were Antik, Tanturovska and Janevska with 20, 19 and 16 points apiece.
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Latvia won a youth international basketball classic in overtime against Hungary (78-70). Hungary led for the first 38 minutes of regular time.
Denmark continued to control the game and stretched their lead (57-38). Once again a drop in intensity allowed Macedonia to come back into the game. Jelena Antik hit a trey that sparked an 11-4 run that prompted the Danish staff to call for a time-out (45-62).
Denmark were forced to dig deep as the home fans became the sixth player on the court. 
Before the start of the game the Scottish fans sang the "flower of Scotland", which appeared to have been appreciated by players from both sides.
No time was wasted by both teams as they scored on their first attacks within the first 20 seconds of the game (2-2).
Scotland were a little impatient at the start.
Despite having complete control of the offensive board they could not score. However Annie Rowan was waiting behind the arc and when the ball reached her hand she fired the ball in (5- 4).
Both sides played at pace end to end basketball but the ball refused to drop. Once again it was Rowan, free this time in the paint, to score for Scotland (9-6).
Switzerland on the other hand switched to zone defence, which stopped their opponents for a while. The game went through a sticky patch with Scotland holding the advantage (13-8).
Switzerland changed from zone to man to man. At the same moment Scotland went to have a court press. This change was exploited by Rebecca Allison (left) as she created space for either herself or Mairi Buchan to score as they went on a 12-5 run to finish the first period (25-13).
Lisa Mazzochi, who had been quiet in the first period for Switzerland, caught Scotland on a fast break to open the scoring for her side right from the start. Scotland's difficulty started with Buchan picking up her third personal foul although she did not leave the game immediately. Yet she had to hold back in defence.
Both sides were using a lot of energy running up and down the court as the game lost shape. Switzerland profited to reduce their deficit as Scotland only had a trey to show for their efforts (20-28).
A Scottish time-out did not change anything as they were punished for leaving Emilie Raboud open who hit a trey. Sarah O'Brien did respond with a trey for Scotland immediately. An unsportmanslike foul called on Kara Gilles did not help Scotland while Switzerland with Raboud and Marjana Marenkovic were further reducing the deficit (27-31).
Allison hit Scotland's third trey of the period to close the scoring in the first half and allow Scotland to go into the break with a more comfortable margin (34-27).
The second half started with a catalogue of misses for both sides before Nina Kane from Switzerland managed to get the ball from open play for Switzerland (31-35).
Buchan returned to the game but was powerless to stop Kane from scoring again for Switzerland. Allison's precision from beyond the arc was enough to keep Scotland in control (38-33).
Scotland hit two more shots from the land of many as Rowan and Allison fired in.
Erin Mc Garrachan scored a rear two-point shot for Scotland between the three-pointers for her side to extend their lead (46-33).
Scotland finished the period with their fourth trey of the quarter by Buchan to increase the gap (49-37) going into the final period.
Switzerland changed all systems and scored 7 quick points that forced Donna Finnie, the Scottish head coach, to call an early time-out as her side's lead was evaporating (49-45).
The game was nicely poised with Scotand leading (51-47) with five minutes to play in regulation time. Scotland were to score after a patient build-up allowing Gillies to run along the baseline to score. Allison was next to score for Scotland from her favourite distance from beyond the arc.
Raboud responded with a trey for Switzerland. But the tireless Allison was fouled on a drive to the basket and hence converted her free-throws (58-49).
Switzerland had not abdicated yet and with the game in money-time everything was still possible (51-58). However they wasted their first opportunity to bring the score down with a 24-second clock violation.
Scotland used the opportunity as Allison drew a foul and had two free shots from the charity stripes.
Any hope for Switzerland to come back was ended as Allison again popped up in the box to score. Scotland went to register their first win of the tournament (65-56).
Allison topped the scoring with 26 points including 4-of-5 from the land of many. Buchan finished on 14 points.
For Switzerland Mazzocchi led the scoring with 13 points while Raboud and Milenkovic finished with 11 points apiece.
Mari Buchan explains that the preparation over the year has paid off after a tough start and they look forward to the remaining games.
After five minutes of observation, with very little going on, Ireland led (8-3). Ireland were struggling to cope with the zone of Finland and turned the ball over for Kia Ignatius to punish them with simple baskets. The two teams were tight (12-12) after the first period.
Ireland then stepped up and put in a special play that got them to the foul line on two occasions with O'Gorman and Sinead O'Reilly making no mistake. Claire Rockall also came up with a big three with a little over 90 seconds left to play (56-50).
Furthermore they did not allow Luxembourg any changes from the perimeter to lead (23-16) at the end of the first period.
Luxembourg were not able to reduce the gap despite having more of the ball in the third period (33-49). With Haentges not scoring any more they were short of ideas and inspiration. Hermann Paar used the period-ending break to draw up a new game plan.
Irma Rahmanovic opened the scoring for Bosnia quickly followed by Anesa Hamsic (4-0).
England started to come into the game and put together a 10-3 run sparked by Renee Johnson-Allen (left). Jadranka Savic, the Bosnian head coach was forced to call a time-out.
The next two minutes was end to end basketball with both teams taking difficult shots with Bosnia still holding the lead (55-50). England dropped their guard for a fraction of a second and Vrancic followed by Hamsic put Bosnia back in control (60-50).
The lead changed four times in an explosive first quarter. Despite the efforts of Noémie Mayombo from Belgium with 11 points The Netherlands had the advantage (23-21) going into the second quarter.
Kim Mestdagh was to score the last points of the quarter to take Belgium into the locker room leading (42-39).
In a rather technical first period Slovenia had the better of the scoring to open (5-0). By the time Nika Baric hit a shot from the land of many Slovenia appeared to be cruising (12-4).
Germany changed things and kept Slovenia quiet for some time while reducing their deficit (33-38). Slovenia’s system of hunting in packs makes it difficult for teams to defend against. First Oblak and then Baric hit from beyond the arc. 
