Slovenia star Luka Dončić delivered a masterclass performance with 42 points and 10 rebounds to guide his team to an 84-77 victory over Italy in the EuroBasket round of 16. The Slovenian squad dominated early, leading 29-11 after the first quarter, with Dončić reaching 30 points by halftime—his fourth 30-point game of the tournament.
Despite a late surge from Italy that brought them within a single point in the final two minutes, Dončić calmly converted crucial free throws to secure Slovenia’s win and set up a quarterfinal clash with World Cup champions Germany.
In another major upset, Georgia reached the EuroBasket quarterfinals for the first time, defeating France 80-70. The Georgian team celebrated wildly with their fans in Riga, Latvia, following a balanced performance on both ends of the floor. Veteran Giorgi Shermadini praised his teammates for their effort, emphasizing the team’s defensive and offensive discipline.
France, the 2022 runner-up, struggled with a poor shooting night from beyond the arc, converting just six of 36 three-point attempts, while Georgia capitalized on free throws and sharpshooting to take control. Tornike Shengelia starred for Georgia with 24 points and eight rebounds, matched by American-born Kamar Baldwin, also scoring 24 points.
Poland advanced with an 80-72 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina. Jordan Loyd led the way for Poland with 28 points, and Mateusz Ponitka added a double-double of 19 points and 11 rebounds. Jusuf Nurkić was the standout for Bosnia with 20 points and seven rebounds, but it wasn’t enough to secure a victory. Poland now faces Turkey in the quarterfinals.
Greece secured the final quarterfinal spot by edging Israel 84-79, with Giannis Antetokounmpo delivering a dominant 37-point, 10-rebound performance. Greece, which had earlier eliminated defending champion Spain in the group stage, will meet three-time champion Lithuania in the next round.
The EuroBasket 2025 quarterfinals are scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday, building anticipation for a thrilling finale next Sunday.
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