EuroBasket Day 3: Domination & Hard-Fought Games

  • Last Updated on August 29, 2025 4:47 pm by André Lemos | Published: August 29, 2025

    The third day of EuroBasket 2025 delivered a full spectrum of international hoops, from blowout statements to gritty, nail-biting finishes. We had bona fide superstars putting on clinics, a certain Denver big man stacking another casual 23 and 10 in just 22 minutes for Serbia and a towering Finn reminding everyone why he’s one of the most dynamic forwards in the world. But beyond the highlight reels, these games, offered a fascinating look at team identity, strategic adjustments and the sheer will to win.

    While some matchups saw teams assert their dominance early and often, exposing defensive vulnerabilities or leveraging overwhelming talent, others were decided in the unforgiving final possessions. Latvia, for instance, survived a truly brutal shooting night to escape with a two-point victory, a testament to resilience over finesse. Meanwhile, Germany’s high-octane offense papered over some defensive cracks, while Turkey’s bruising interior game proved too much for Czechia. It was a day that underscored the diverse paths to victory at this level: sometimes it’s about flawless execution, sometimes it’s about just finding a way.

     

    Germany 105, Sweden 83

    Germany rolled to a 105–83 win over Sweden, though the scoreline hides some defensive concerns. Sweden was without Pelle Larsson (illness), yet still managed to exploit lapses and stay competitive in stretches.

    Early on, Germany leaned on size and physicality. Franz Wagner and Tristan da Silva attacked mismatches, drawing fouls and getting to the line. A technical on Dennis Schröder briefly fueled a Swedish run, but Germany closed the first quarter up 27–17. While Germany played a consistent brand of basketball, they allowed too many second-chance points and open looks off broken presses, which kept Sweden in the game.

    The second quarter saw Germany push the lead with an 8–2 spurt, but Sweden responded through staggered screens that freed up Melwin Pantzar and Ludvig Hakanson, who sparked a 5–0 run before halftime. Germany’s box-and-one and switching slowed the damage, but Sweden’s threes and inside mismatches remained an issue.

    In the second half, Germany’s best unit, Schröder, Obst, Wagner, Bonga and Theis seized control. Their mobility created defensive versatility and offensive flow. Sweden stayed scrappy, hitting 6-of-9 threes in the third, yet Germany never let the lead slip below double digits. By the fourth quarter, Sweden cooled off while Schröder orchestrated relentlessly, drawing fouls and maintaining tempo.

    Germany finished 11-for-22 from deep and 26-for-33 at the line, an elite offensive showing. Still, defensive cracks were clear: 16 offensive boards allowed, 14 second-chance points, and 34 paint points given up to a team without a true inside presence.

    The firepower is undeniable, but tightening those defensive details will be key as the tournament level rises.

     

    Turkey 92, Czechia 78
    In a game defined by contrasting styles, Turkey’s physical dominance eventually overpowered Czechia’s hot shooting to secure a 92–78 victory.

    The game began with a signature play from Turkey’s offense, a tip-off action where Alperen Şengün directed the ball to Ercan Osmani for an easy opening basket, a look they’ve now used in consecutive games. Early on, though, it was Czechia who set the tone offensively, knocking down 4 of their first 6 three-pointers to grab a 16–12 lead. With well-executed pick-and-pop actions, they repeatedly exposed Turkey’s defensive gaps, and the margin grew to 22–14 after a blistering 5-for-8 start from deep. Turkey responded by hedging hard on pick-and-rolls, forcing turnovers that helped them trim the deficit. Even so, Czechia finished the first quarter ahead 27–21.

    Czechia cooled off in the second quarter, going 0-for-6 from beyond the arc on their first 6 attempts. Foul trouble compounded their struggles, putting Turkey at the line time and again. A 12–1 Turkey run flipped the game, giving them a 33–28 advantage. While Turkey missed some easy finishes inside, Czechia simply had no answer for their size and strength in the paint. The first half turned into a bruising battle, with Turkey outscoring Czechia 26–14 inside, piling up 13-of-14 free throws, and converting 16 points off 11 Czech turnovers. The half closed with Turkey ahead 45–37, though it came at a cost as Hazer exited with a painful-looking ankle injury.

    In the second half, Czechia ramped up the defensive pressure with traps and ball-pressure schemes, but foul issues continued to undercut their momentum. Without the size to contend physically, they relied on ball movement and aggressive closeout attacks to generate looks and stay competitive. To start the fourth quarter, Czechia briefly made things interesting, hitting two threes for a 6–2 run that trimmed the margin to just six. But Turkey responded with more bruising paint touches, reasserting control down the stretch as their physicality once again proved decisive.

    The numbers told the story: Turkey dominated the interior, outscoring Czechia 50–26 in the paint. Alperen Şengün was the clear engine of the win, coming within a whisker of a triple-double with 23 points, 12 rebounds, and 9 assists, that would’ve been the fifth ever in the competition history. For Czechia, Martin Peterka provided a bright spot with 23 points on 5-of-7 shooting from deep, but it wasn’t enough to overcome Turkey’s advantages in size, strength and skill.

     

    Lithuania 94, Montenegro 67

    Lithuania cruised to a dominant win, powered by elite guard play, a relentless full-court defense, and depth that overwhelmed Montenegro.

    Montenegro opened with a good connection between Vučević and Andrija Slavković after Vučević’s short roll, Nikola Vučević was involved on their first six points. Montenegro started defending Jokubaitis by icing his screens to the baseline and forcing him right, where he still found some success. Rokas Jokubaitis controlled the pace. Montenegro’s plan to shade him right backfired, as he repeatedly got into the paint for mid-range shots and playmaking opportunities. Lithuania’s backcourt defense, locked down Kyle Allman and stalled Montenegro’s offense. The Jokubaitis–Valančiūnas two-man game was unstoppable, with Valančiūnas drilling back-to-back threes to spark a 26–15 lead.

    In the second quarter, Lithuania’s offense stayed efficient while Montenegro unraveled. Ten turnovers midway through the quarter, many in transition, fueled Lithuania’s attack. The Jokubaitis–Valančiūnas pick-and-roll carved Montenegro apart, with Vučević offering little resistance defensively. Lithuania racked up 26 points in the paint in the first half and took a 49–33 lead into the break.

    Montenegro opened the third with more pace and a few transition buckets. With Jokubaitis and Valančiūnas resting, Lithuania’s offense stalled, allowing Vučević more space inside. Andrija Slavković took advantage of switches to score against smaller guards, while Marko Simonović added key baskets to keep Montenegro afloat.

    The fourth quarter belonged entirely to Lithuania. Montenegro’s lack of effort and composure led to 26 total turnovers, which Lithuania converted into 30 points. Lithuania’s bench contributed 48 points, keeping the intensity high until the final buzzer.

    In the end, Lithuania’s suffocating backcourt defense, dominant pick-and-roll execution and depth overwhelmed Montenegro in a 94–67 rout.

     

    Latvia 72, Estonia 70

    Artūrs Žagars started this game, which is a great sign after leaving the last one due to injury, and Gražulis replaced Rolands Šmits in the starting lineup, but the team got off to a shaky start. Estonia opened aggressively, building an early 8–3 lead as Latvia’s defensive rotations struggled. Estonia exploited pick-and-pop opportunities from deep, hitting 3 of 4 early threes to extend the lead to 11–4. Latvia’s offense relied too heavily on Porziņģis, who drew fouls inside but also contributed to turnovers, including three in the first six minutes. When the ball moved, Latvia found quality looks, but stagnant possessions and defensive lapses allowed Estonia to dominate inside and finish the first quarter ahead 21–17.

    In the second quarter, Latvia tried adjusting their lineup and approach, including using Šmits and later a smaller five with Lomazs, Žagars, Kurucs, Bertāns, and Porziņģis to improve offensive fluidity. Despite these adjustments, Estonia continued to capitalize on Latvian defensive struggles, maintaining a lead through hot shooting from beyond the arc and physical play from Tass. Porziņģis kept Latvia close with individual scoring bursts, but the team’s forced actions and poor perimeter shooting (1/12 from deep early in the quarter) limited their effectiveness. At halftime, Estonia led 42–38, aided by superior ball movement (12 assists to Latvia’s 6), though Latvia stayed competitive by controlling points in the paint.

    The second half was a tense, physical battle, with both teams trading baskets and fouls affecting key players like Porziņģis and Tass. Latvia slowly regained control, with Porziņģis scoring all eight of their first fourth-quarter points, including critical baskets and free throws that built a 7-point lead late. Both teams struggled to score in the final quarter, with the first points of the period coming with under 5 minutes to play. Despite Estonia cutting the margin to two in the final seconds, Latvia held on to win 72–70. The victory came despite a brutal 6/33 shooting night from three-point range, with Porziņģis carrying the team with 26 points, 7 rebounds, 2 blocks, and 1 assist, though he also committed seven turnovers. It was an atypical, hard-fought win defined by resilience, points-in-the-paint dominance, and timely defensive plays down the stretch after struggling for most of the game.

     

    Finland 109 Great Britain 79

    The game between Finland and Great Britain started off with a quick pace, as both teams came out firing. Just four minutes into the game, Finland held a narrow 13-12 lead, with Sasu Salin and Lauri Markkanen scoring all of Finland’s points. Great Britain was focused on their pick-and-roll game, which allowed them to get into the paint easily. However, a 7-1 run by Finland, still led by the duo of Salin and Markkanen, forced Great Britain to call a timeout. At the end of the first quarter, Finland was up 30-21. Finland’s full-court pressure on defense and their use of big men to initiate plays, including a simple set with a UCLA screen to create a mismatch inside for Lauri after a Great Britain switch, caused problems for Great Britain. Meanwhile, Great Britain’s offense thrived when they were able to share the ball and find open shots after collapsing the defense. Both teams were shooting exceptionally well from beyond the arc, at 45% or better.

    The second quarter began with a quick 5-0 run by Great Britain, prompting a timeout however when the halftime buzzer sounded Finland’s lead had extended to 58-42. Lauri Markkanen was on fire, with 29 points at the half, including five three-pointers. Sasu Salin contributed 12 points, hitting four three-pointers, and was a great second option to Markkanen. Great Britain tried several different defensive looks, including a 1-2-2 press, but their attempts at a “2 for 1” were more hurtful than helpful. The half ended with a 9-1 run by Finland, as the game continued to be a battle of runs for both sides.

    Finland came out of halftime with a more focused and aggressive approach on the defensive end. This resulted in them forcing six turnovers from Great Britain and not allowing the good looks Great Britain had been getting in the first half. The Lauri Markkanen show continued, as he was a walking mismatch all game. The third quarter ended with Finland up 81-56, as they outscored Great Britain 23-14 in the quarter.

    Ultimately, Finland secured a dominant 109-79 victory over Great Britain. Lauri Markkanen was incredible throughout the game, and Sasu Salin was his vintage self. Great Britain was unable to keep up their hot shooting from the first half when Finland stepped up the intensity. Finland’s physical superiority, especially in the second half, was too much for Great Britain to handle, as evidenced by their 34-22 advantage in points in the paint and 42-29 lead in rebounds. Finland had an excellent shooting night, hitting 57% of their two-pointers and 50% of their three-pointers.

     

    Serbia 80, Portugal 68

    Serbia defeated Portugal 80–68 in a game that started with strong defensive energy from the Portuguese side. Portugal’s defense created steals and deflections that disrupted Serbia’s rhythm, while Diogo Brito led the charge offensively with a hot start and good playmaking. Serbia, meanwhile, looked disconnected early and lacked energy, as Portugal even shifted to zone looks on half-court out-of-bounds plays to keep them off balance.

    The momentum shifted in the second quarter, when Serbia committed no fouls and Portugal’s offense stalled at 33 points. From there, Serbia came out of halftime with renewed focus, clamping down on Portugal’s scoring options. Serbia’s defense concentrated on shutting off the paint against Neemias Queta’s rolls, though it left Portugal with open three-point opportunities. Portugal’s backcourt trio of Brito (22), Travante (15), and Ventura (11) provided steady scoring, but Serbia stayed in control thanks to key three-pointers from Dobrić and despite committing more turnovers (15 to Portugal’s 10). Mistakes like fouling a three-point shooter also hurt Portugal’s chances, while Serbia rotated stars carefully—Jokić sitting the fourth quarter and Bogdanović the entire second half.

    In the end, Serbia’s talent advantage carried them to victory, though Portugal’s fight and defensive disruption kept the contest competitive. Portugal’s 11 steals and low turnover count reflected a smart game plan, while Serbia’s superior shot-making and depth proved decisive. Brito finished as Portugal’s standout performer with 22 points, 9 rebounds, 2 assists, and 2 steals, while Jokić posted 23 points, 10 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals, and 2 blocks in just 22 minutes. Jović added 18 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 assists to seal Serbia’s win over a resilient Portuguese team.

     

    This article was written by the European Hoops team: Tiago Cordeiro, João Caeiro, Diogo Valente and André Lemos. Make sure you give us a follow on Twitter at @EthosEuroleague!

    August 29, 2025, 4:47 pm