ANTWERP (EuroBasket 2009) - Belgium are now one victory away from claiming first place in Group A of the Additional Qualifying Round for the EuroBasket after thrashing Bosnia and Herzegovina on Monday in Antwerp.

In front of an electric crowd of 4,800 spectators, the Belgians trailed by a point at half-time but romped to a 102-79 triumph.

Jef Van Der Jonckheyd scored 20 points, Dimitri Lauwers 16 and Axel Hervelle had a game-high 12 rebounds to go with his 10 points for Belgium.

The margin of victory has given them the advantage in a tie-breaker with Bosnia and Herzegovina (3-1) should Belgium (2-1)  manage to win in Portugal on Thursday.

The side that finishes top of the pool will take on Group B winners France in a home-and-away tie to determine the last team to compete at the EuroBasket in Poland.

Belgium won the battle of the boards 39-18, claiming 21 of those rebounds on the offensive glass.

The Belgians delivered the killer blow midway through the third quarter after the Bosnians had pulled to within two.

Lauwers hit two free-throws at the start of a 10-0 run and then capped it with a three-ball for a 65-53 lead.

After Bosnia and Herzegovina reduced the arrears to 67-57 with 3:25 to go in the third quarter, Belgium scored nine of the next 10 points for a 76-58 stranglehold on proceedings.

Also on Monday, France lost for the first time to a Finland team that is growing in stature.

The Finns, after suffering narrow defeats in their  opening two games to France and Italy, prevailed 77-73 with Teemu Rannikko pouring in 21 points and Hanno Möttölä weighing in with 17 and nine rebounds.

FIBA