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VIDNOJE (FIBA U21 World Championship for Women) - Belgium battled bravely but ran out of steam in the fourth quarter in a 91-80 defeat to France, who won for the third straight game at the FIBA U21 World Championship for Women.

Les Bleues looked to be on their way to a comfortable win with a 42-33 lead with 2:29 remaining in the second quarter.

The Belgians finished the half with a flurry, did not allow them to pull away and trailed just 44-43 at the break.

Fannie Vandesteene hit a couple of three-pointers in that second-quarter run for Belgium that got them right back into the contest.

The game remained tight in the third quarter, which ended with France still holding a slending 67-64 advantage.

In the fourth, Belgium appeared as if they might be about to spring an upset when Ellen Lauwers made a jump shot for a 74-73 advantage with 7:23 to go.

But France immediately killed the game off.

Nwal-Endene Miyem, who scored a team-high 21 points, drilled a jump shot to begin an 11-0 run for the French that left them in command for good.

Anael Lardy followed with a lay-up, and Sandrine Gruda sank two free throws.

Miyem then scored five straight points, splitting a pair of free throws, burying a jumper and sinking two more from the stripe.

That left the French with an 84-74 lead just 2:12 from the end and it was enough to see them to victory.

Sara Leemans had a game-high 23 in defeat for Belgium, who slipped to 1-2 in the tournament.

France lead Group A with Belgium are fourth above 0-3 teams Mali and China.

FIBA