Poland’s 3×3 basketball team has successfully secured a spot in the quarterfinals of the Under-23 World Championships, currently underway in Lublin. The Polish squad accomplished this feat in a nail-biting manner, as their advancement was guaranteed by an incredibly difficult shot in the exciting final moments of the match against Germany.
The Polish women faced a challenging battle to progress from the group stage, especially after their initial match ended in a heartbreaking overtime defeat against Turkey, with a score of 14-15. This setback made their advancement prospects quite daunting. Despite this, the team managed to secure two victories on Friday, defeating Tunisia 21-15 and Greece in overtime with a score of 18-16. However, before their crucial encounter with Germany, the task was clear – they had to win, and by a margin of at least five points.
In a closely contested match, the Polish team found themselves leading 20-17 in the final moments. This meant they had to aim for two-point shots, as winning by a smaller margin would not suffice. The German opponents were well aware of this and intensified their defense on the perimeter. Then, with just 10 seconds left on the clock, Aleksandra Zięmborska stepped up to the challenge.
Such shots happen once in a lifetime. For Zięmborska, this moment occurred at the most crucial juncture of the World Championships. Thanks to her remarkable shot, the Polish team will compete in the quarterfinals tomorrow, facing off against Japan.