EuroBasket Highlights
In a thrilling contest held in Katowice, Poland, Luka Doncic showcased his scoring prowess with 26 points, leading Slovenia to an 87-79 triumph over Iceland, which also secured France’s advancement to the knockout stages of EuroBasket. Despite a challenging night from beyond the arc, hitting only 2 of his 10 attempts from three-point range, Doncic’s overall impact was key in Slovenia’s victory.
Israel’s Dramatic Win
On another note, Israel’s Deni Avdija was instrumental in a dramatic 92-89 defeat of Belgium, contributing 22 points to propel his team into the final sixteen. This marked another significant performance following his previous 23-point outing against France, the silver medalists from the Paris Olympics, where Israel stunned the team with an 82-69 win. In the recent match, teammate Roman Sorkin added vital support by scoring 18 points, with Israel establishing a commanding 21-point lead at one point, before Belgium rallied back.
As the clock wound down, Israel’s Yam Madar secured the win by converting two critical free throws, elevating the score to 92-87 and maintaining Israel’s provisional lead in Group D.
Group D Performances
In the same group, Belgium’s Loic Schwartz made his mark by netting four three-pointers, finishing with 14 points. Meanwhile, France was set to face co-host Poland later in the day, while defending champions Spain went up against Italy, who had already clinched their spot in the next round, in Limassol, Cyprus.
Group C Updates
In Group C, Greece faced their first loss in the tournament, succumbing 80-77 to Bosnia and Herzegovina. Star player Giannis Antetokounmpo was rested due to minor knee issues after helping Greece secure an earlier spot in the knockout stage. Coach Vassilis Spanoulis confirmed that Antetokounmpo is expected to return for their next game against Spain.
Bosnia and Herzegovina improved to a 2-2 standing in group play, thanks to 18 points each from Utah Jazz’s Jusuf Nurkic and John Roberson. Georgia kept their chances alive for qualification, annihilating co-host Cyprus 93-61, with Tornike Shengelia from Barcelona topping the score sheet with 27 points, while Goga Bitadze contributed significantly with 21 points and 13 rebounds.
The knockout rounds in Riga, Latvia, are set to unfold from Sep. 6 to 14, following a competitive group stage leading up to this point, where Spain had previously emerged as champions against France in the 2022 final.
