The Dutch 3×3 basketball players have qualified for the intermediate round at the World Cup in Mongolia. The Orange squad defeated the Czech Republic in the last group match with 21-15 and finished third.
Hungary is the Netherlands’ opponent on Friday in the intermediate round, for which the numbers two and three of each pool qualified. The group winner ends up in the quarter-finals. That is the United States in the pool of Orange.
After earlier defeats against Japan and the USA, the Dutch team had to win twice on Thursday to reach the last sixteen. The Orange squad opened the day with a victory over Chile (21-13).
In the crucial last group match, the Netherlands was clearly too strong for the Czech Republic. Noortje Driessen accounted for nine points. Janis Boonstra and Ilse Kuijt scored five points and Evelien Lutje Schipholt scored two points.
The Netherlands is still in the race for the world title for both men and women. The men led by star player Worthy de Jong qualified for the intermediate round on Wednesday. Germany is the opponent in that round on Friday.