Belgium Cats will play Paris Games without point guard Julie Allemand

VILLENEUVE-D’ASCQ, France (AP) — Belgium will be without point guard Julie Allemand as the Cats try to get past the quarterfinals in the 2024 Paris Games.

The Cats announced Thursday night on social media that Allemand will miss her second Olympics with what they called an “unlucky injury for our point god. ” Nastja Claessens will replace Allemand on the roster.

She was the second women’s basketball player ruled out for the Paris Games on Thursday, joining Australia forward Bec Allen ruled out with a hamstring injury suffered in the Opals’ final warmup game.

Allemand has missed the WNBA season recovering from an injured right ankle, staying home to rehabilitate rather than join the Los Angeles Sparks who traded for her as part of a trade with Chicago in February.

Belgium begins group play Monday in just the Cats’ second Olympic berth. They play Germany, making its Olympic debut in Group C along with the U.S. and Japan.

The Cats also are looking for their first medal after losing a berth in the 2021 Tokyo Games semifinals in a one-point loss to host Japan. They wound up finishing seventh, and this is their second straight Olympics after not qualifying for the 2016 Rio Games.

Belgium lost to the U.S. women in February by a point in a pre-Olympic tournament in Belgium in February. Belgium won the FIBA EuroBasket 2023.

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AP Summer Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/2024-paris-olympic-games