EuroBasket Day 4: Action-Packed Thrillers!

  • Last Updated on August 30, 2025 6:35 pm by André Lemos | Published: August 30, 2025

    Day 4 of EuroBasket 2025 was full of great basketball, showcasing some of the top teams in Europe. Germany, Serbia, France, Turkey, and Greece all stayed perfect, securing their spots in the Round of 16. The action was intense, with some teams pulling off nail-biting finishes while others cruised to victory.

    From stunning individual performances to dominant team efforts, this day of games had it all. Nikola Jokić delivered a historic performance for Serbia, while Luka Dončić had a monster game for Slovenia. Belgium pulled off a great comeback win, Italy made a statement with a strong victory, and Estonia battled to a determined win. It was a day that truly highlighted the depth and talent of European basketball.

    Germany 107, Lithuania 88

    Germany, looking absolutely locked in, secured their spot in the EuroBasket 2025 Round of 16 by taking down Lithuania in Tampere with a final score of 107-88. It’s not just that they won; it’s how they did it.

    Right from the opening tip, Germany’s offense was in a groove. Johannes Voigtmann was back in the starting lineup, the ball was zipping around, creating an immediate 10-2 cushion. Lithuania, to their credit, didn’t flinch, even briefly grabbing a 15-13 lead. But then the German shooting show started. Dennis Schröder, Daniel Theis, and Johannes Thiemann went a perfect 5-for-5 from downtown to start the game. Add in Franz Wagner, who was simply too much for Lithuania to handle due to his size making him a walking mismatch and you’ve got a recipe for a huge quarter. Maodo Lo’s three-pointer capped a 32-point offensive explosion, giving Germany a 32-20 lead after one, fueled by a slick eight assists on their way to six made threes.

    The second quarter saw Lithuania hang tough. Wagner continued to capitalize on mismatches, and Andreas Obst drilled back-to-back threes to stretch the lead to 50-36. But Lithuania showed some real guts, with Sirvydis hitting a three as part of a 9-0 run that cut the deficit to just five, forcing Germany to call a timeout. Out of the break, Wagner put the hammer down with a clutch three of his own, stabilizing the Germans. They headed into halftime with a comfortable 55-47 lead, with Schröder (15 points), Theis (14), and Wagner (12) leading the charge. Jokubaitis and Sedekerskis did a nice job orchestrating for Lithuania, dishing out seven assists each.

    In the third, it was more of the same, with Germany’s overwhelming depth and offensive firepower taking over. Obst knocked down his fourth three of the game, Theis remained perfect from the field, and the lead ballooned to 74-58. Lithuania battled hard, with Jokubaitis attacking the paint and their rebounding keeping them in the game, but they just couldn’t generate enough consistent offense to mount a serious threat. Germany maintained their double-digit lead, heading into the final frame firmly in control.

    From that point on, it was vintage Germany. Their defense tightened up, leading to easy transition baskets, and their half-court offense was a thing of beauty. Wagner was creating mismatches all over the floor, Schröder was pulling the strings and role players like Lo, Obst and Isaac Bonga were stepping up with timely plays. In the end, Germany’s talent and depth wore Lithuania down. They finished the game hitting 19 threes at a blistering 54%, forced 17 turnovers and cruised to a 107-88 victory.

    The final numbers tell the story. Daniel Theis was flawless, putting up 23 points on a perfect 9-for-9 from the field, including three from long range. Schröder and Wagner were a dynamic duo, combining for 50 points, while Obst was deadly from deep, adding 18 points on 4-for-5 shooting from beyond the arc. For Lithuania, Jokubaitis led the way with 20 points, but the high turnover count and lack of offensive options were just too much to overcome.

    It was the usual German formula: stay close and then let their offense become an unstoppable machine in the second half. At 3-0, they’re not just perfect; they’ve officially booked their trip to Riga. Lithuania, now 2-1, will have to shake this one off quickly as they face a crucial game against host Finland to lock up second place in the group.

     

    Estonia 89, Czechia 75

    It almost felt like EuroBasket had shifted north to Tallinn. Backed by their many fans, Estonia fed off the energy in the arena and overwhelmed Czechia 89-75 for their first win of Group A at EuroBasket 2025.

    Estonia’s effort and energy were evident from the opening tip. Even while starting 0-for-6 from three in the first quarter, they fought for extra possessions, defended physically, and closed the period ahead 23-19. The tone was set: hustle would be their weapon.

    The second quarter was where Estonia truly broke the game open. They played a nearly flawless half, committing zero turnovers while punishing Czechia in every hustle category. They outrebounded their opponents 21-16, including eight offensive boards, and cashed in at the free-throw line (11/12 vs. 5/9). Despite a poor 2-for-11 clip from beyond the arc, they stormed to a 54-36 halftime lead thanks to 31 second-quarter points, 14 of them inside the paint.

    Czechia had no solutions after the break. Estonia’s physical defense denied anything easy, and by midway through the third quarter, the gap had exploded to 68-40. Heading into the final frame, Estonia led 77-54, having completely dictated the pace of the game.

    The final numbers told the story: Estonia outrebounded Czechia 43-34, dominated the steal battle 7-2, and committed only five turnovers compared to Czechia’s 16. That translated into 24 points off turnovers (versus just 6 for Czechia) and a commanding 44-26 edge in points in the paint. Even on a night when they shot just 17 percent from deep, Estonia’s will and execution carried them through.

    Kristian Kullamäe embodied that spirit. Wearing the now-iconic number 77, he nearly posted a triple-double, finishing with 16 points, 7 rebounds, 7 assists, and a steal in just over 30 minutes. Henri Drell added 15 points off the bench, giving Estonia another crucial spark.

    For Czechia, Martin Peterka led with 13 points off the bench, but the team fell to 0-3 and now faces a brutal finish against Serbia and hosts Latvia.

    Meanwhile, Estonia climb to 1-2, keeping their knockout hopes alive. On Monday, they’ll meet Türkiye before closing the group against Portugal. With their fighting spirit, control of the little details, and the backing of their fans, Estonia proved they’re not done yet.

     

    Italy 79, Georgia 62

    Italy is officially on the board at EuroBasket 2025, grinding out a tough 79-62 win over Georgia in a physical Group A battle. It wasn’t always pretty, but it was exactly the kind of gritty, tactical victory they needed after an opening loss.

    Early in the gaame, Italy’s game plan was crystal clear: shut down the paint and force Georgia to shoot. Georgia tried to run their offense through the Baldwin-Shengelia pick-and-pop actions, but with zero spacing and ice-cold shooting (an atrocious 0-for-8 from deep in the first quarter), their offense went nowhere. Italy wasn’t exactly a well-oiled machine on offense, but their defense and physicality were enough to give them an 18-10 lead after one.

    The second quarter was a bit more back-and-forth. Italy’s offense, which looked much better than it did against Greece, started to get to the free-throw line and find some better looks. On the other end, Georgia tried to push the pace in transition to avoid their stagnant half-court offense. Sandro Mamukelashvili was a force with his attacks at the rim, and Kamar Baldwin started to find his rhythm, helping Georgia gain confidence and stay in the fight heading into halftime.

    Early in the third quarter, Georgia had their best stretch of the game and really put the pressure on Italy. But the Azzurri stayed poised, got Goga Bitadze into foul trouble, and started to find ways to break down Georgia’s tough defense. By the end of the quarter, Italy had regained control of the game.

    The fourth quarter is where the game was decided. Georgia went over seven minutes without a single field goal, while Italy blew the game open with a decisive 16-0 run, turning what was a close contest into a comfortable 66-47 cushion. Frustration boiled over for Georgia, with Tornike Shengelia getting ejected with under three minutes to play. From there, their fight gave way to complaints, and Italy coasted to the finish.

    In the end, it was Italy’s patience, discipline, and physicality that made all the difference. They held Georgia to just 3-for-21 from three-point range, punishing their lack of spacing, and stayed composed while their opponents lost theirs. It was the kind of gritty, necessary win that keeps Italy in the hunt for a knockout round spot. As for Georgia, they’ll be left to regret not only the loss, but the way they completely unraveled when Italy pulled away.

     

    Belgium 71, Iceland 64

    Iceland started strong and led for nearly the entire game. They were up 21-17 after the first quarter, 36-32 at halftime, and still had a comfortable 52-46 lead heading into the final period. With just over five minutes remaining, a dunk from Tryggvi Hlinason extended their lead to 62-55, and the Icelandic fans in the arena could feel a historic first EuroBasket win was within their grasp.

    But then, everything changed. Belgium clamped down on defense and started to dominate the glass. This hustle quickly translated into points, as they finished with a massive 20-4 advantage in second-chance scoring. That dominance led to a game-winning 16-2 run over the final three minutes.

    Despite a tough shooting night, Emmanuel Lecomte came up huge when it mattered most. He hit a go-ahead driving layup with under 30 seconds left and calmly sank the free throws to seal the win for Belgium. He finished the game with a solid stat line of 16 points, 6 assists, and 4 rebounds.

    For Iceland, the shooting numbers were ugly, with the team going just 3-of-22 from three-point range. Tryggvi Hlinason had an outstanding performance with 20 points, 10 rebounds, and 5 blocks, but his effort wasn’t enough to hold off Belgium’s late charge. The Lions’ grit and depth earned them their first win in the tournament, while Iceland was left heartbroken, still searching for that elusive first victory.

     

    Sweden 78, Great Britain 59

    Sweden got their first win at EuroBasket 2025, taking down Great Britain 78-59 in a game they controlled pretty much the whole way. It was a historic win for them, their first in the tournament since 2013 and a much-needed one for their campaign.

    From the very beginning, the contrast in energy was noticeable. Great Britain looked sluggish and flat, while Sweden came out with intensity, racking up six steals in the first quarter alone. They finished the period up 19-13 and it was so bad for GB that their coach called a timeout to challenge his players’ effort. The second quarter started with an 8-0 Swedish run that made it 27-13. Pelle Larsson, even though he was clearly not at 100% after missing the last game with an illness, still gave Sweden an edge. To their credit, GB found a rhythm late in the half by moving the ball more, cutting the deficit to 35-30 at the break.

    That was as close as Great Britain would get. Sweden steadily rebuilt their lead in the second half, while GB’s offense never found its footing. Larsson, despite his five turnovers, was a huge spark, finishing with a game-high 23 points, to go with 4 rebounds and 2 assists. Melwin Pantzar also stuffed the box score with 12 points, 8 rebounds, and 4 steals. The final numbers tell the story of Sweden’s dominance: they led for almost the entire game (39:55), shot a blistering 61.8% from the field, and had a massive 40-26 advantage in points in the paint. Great Britain’s offense, on the other hand, was an absolute mess, shooting just 27.8% from the floor, somehow managing a better percentage from three (29.6%) than their field goal percentage in this game.

    The win puts Sweden at 1-2 in Group B and keeps their knockout stage hopes alive. Meanwhile, Great Britain dropped to 0-3, undone by a lack of intensity, too many turnovers and a complete inability to create any consistent offense.

     

    Serbia 84, Latvia 80

    Serbia’s perfect run in Group A continues, as they held off a resilient Latvia squad with an 84-80 victory in Riga. The win was a masterclass from Nikola Jokic, who delivered a historic performance with 39 points, 10 rebounds, 4 assists, and 3 steals to single-handedly push Serbia into the Round of 16.

    The atmosphere was electric, with Latvia’s home crowd fired up. Latvia started the game looking good, moving the ball and getting everyone involved. However, a major blow came midway through the first quarter when Andrejs Grazulis went down with an injury and was ruled out. Serbia immediately capitalized on their physical advantage, attacking mismatches inside. They scored 18 of their 22 first-quarter points in the paint and dominated the glass, outrebounding Latvia 13-4.

    The second quarter was a back-and-forth affair. Latvia hit back with back-to-back threes from Arturs Zagars and Davis Bertans to briefly take the lead. They even went to a small-ball lineup, but they had no answer for Jokic, who relentlessly drew fouls and punished them on the block. Serbia regained control, extending their lead to nine before Latvia cut it to 42-38 at halftime. The numbers were telling: Serbia had 22 points in the paint and eight offensive rebounds, while Latvia was kept in the game by shooting 44% from deep.

    In the third quarter, Serbia built their largest lead of the game at nine points. While Kristaps Porzingis came up with back-to-back blocks to spark a small Latvian run, Serbia’s dominant interior presence eventually wore them down. By the end of the third, Serbia was up 67-56, with a commanding 38-16 advantage in paint scoring and a 29-22 rebounding edge.

    Latvia, though, refused to quit. Davis Bertans put on a clinic in the fourth quarter, crashing the boards and hitting clutch shots to cut the lead to seven with seven minutes left. He and Rolands Smits hit key threes to bring Latvia within four, and Arturs Kurucs drilled a corner three to make it a two-point game in the final minute. But Serbia always had an answer. Ognjen Dobric hit two huge threes early in the quarter for some breathing room, and with 90 seconds left, Jokic sealed the deal by calmly draining a big three of his own. He then iced the game from the free-throw line after Latvia’s late surge.

    For Latvia, Bertans was excellent with 16 points and 10 rebounds, while Zagars controlled the pace for stretches. However, without Grazulis and with no real answer for Serbia’s physicality, they were simply overpowered inside. Serbia’s win, powered by Jokic’s brilliance, moves them to 3-0 and punches their ticket to the Round of 16. Latvia dropped to 1-2 but showed flashes of their 2023 identity, keeping their hopes very much alive with winnable games against Portugal and Czechia still ahead.

     

    France 103, Slovenia 95

    France has remained perfect in Group D after a hard-fought 103-95 victory over Slovenia in a heavyweight clash in Katowice. While Luka Dončić put on another spectacular show, France’s overwhelming depth and size proved to be the deciding factors. A career night from Sylvain Francisco and a massive second-half from Alexandre Sarr were key to the win.

    France set the tone from the opening tip with full-court pressure, trying to disrupt Slovenia’s rhythm. Luka, though, was up for the challenge, creating 11 of Slovenia’s first 14 points. Slovenia managed to keep pace with transition baskets and by living at the free-throw line, where they shot 15 free throws in the first quarter. Zaccharie Risacher hit two quick threes off the bench for France, but Slovenia still closed the period up 30-28. In the second, Slovenia actually thrived with Luka on the bench, as their defense effectively collapsed on driving lanes. Francisco kept France in it with his relentless drives and perimeter shooting. But before halftime, Dončić took over, rattling off an 8-0 run by himself to send Slovenia into the locker room up 54-47. He was already sitting on 24 points, 4 rebounds, and 6 assists.

    France responded in the third quarter by tightening up on defense. They were more disciplined, cut down on fouling, and started targeting Luka in pick-and-roll situations. Francisco was again the driving force behind the comeback, pulling France within two with his shot-making. Slovenia’s offense cooled off, managing just 16 points in the frame. The lead was down to 70-68 heading into the final period. With Luka resting to start the fourth, France immediately seized control with a 6-2 run. Slovenia’s fatigue began to show as they gave up costly offensive rebounds and second-chance points. Sarr’s length became a decisive factor, as he was switching onto guards, blocking shots, and punishing Slovenia inside. Francisco continued his remarkable night, and when Yabusele and Okobo added clutch buckets, France put together a late 6-0 burst to seal the win.

    Francisco was sensational, finishing with 32 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists, and 2 steals, silencing any doubt about France’s point guard rotation. Sarr added 12 points, 5 rebounds, and 2 blocks. The real story, however, was France’s depth, with five players in double-digits and a stunning 78 points from their bench. They also dominated the interior, outscoring Slovenia 38-20 in the paint. Dončić did everything in his power, putting up a monster line of 39 points, 8 rebounds, and 9 assists, while going 19-of-20 from the free-throw line. But in the end, Slovenia’s thinner rotation just couldn’t keep pace. France is now 2-0 in Group D, showing off their overwhelming depth, while Slovenia drops to 0-2 and now faces a critical game against Belgium to keep their hopes alive.

     

    Greece 96 Cyprus 69

    Greece stayed perfect in Group C, taking care of hosts Cyprus 96-69 behind the scoring of Tyler Dorsey and Dinos Mitoglou.

    The game opened with both sides struggling to find rhythm, just 3-0 for Cyprus after three minutes. The hosts looked to their flex actions and post touches for their forwards but couldn’t convert. Greece, running with a tweaked lineup that only kept Dorsey from the previous starting five, also started cold despite creating the right looks. That changed quickly when Dorsey caught fire, scoring 8 straight points (two threes and a tough mid-range jumper), and Larentzakis added another triple to give Greece a 13-8 lead midway through the first.

    From there, Cyprus tried to keep pace in transition but couldn’t contain Greece’s speed. Their defensive fouls fueled free points, while Greece’s energy in the open floor flipped the game. By the end of the first quarter, Greece led 22-13.

    The second quarter followed a similar script, Cyprus hanging around thanks to Greece’s inconsistent intensity. Turnovers weren’t an issue for the hosts (just 12 all game), which allowed them to avoid being completely run out of their own gym. But once the second half began, Greece picked up the defensive pressure, strung stops together, and turned the contest into a track meet. They piled up 24 fast-break points and buried open looks from deep, finishing 13-for-29 from three.

    Dorsey led the way with 18 points in just 20 minutes, while Mitoglou added an equally efficient 18 in 16 minutes. Cyprus got 15 points and 8 rebounds from Darral Willis and 12 from Filippos Tigkas, but once Greece’s defense locked in, the talent gap became too much.

    Greece move to 2-0 with their expected win, while Cyprus remain winless and face the challenge of Spain next.

     

    Finland 85, Montenegro 65

    Tuovi’s defense and Markkanen’s double-double lead the way. Finland started with the usual spark from Sasu Salin and Lauri Markkanen, who combined for 8 of the first 10 points, but Montenegro matched their energy early. The first quarter ended tied at 23 after Montenegro closed strong by getting to the free-throw line.

    The game flipped in the second period. Tuovi’s defensive game plan took over, forcing 11 turnovers in the first half and holding Montenegro to just 14 points in the quarter. On the other end, Finland executed some of the best half-court actions of the tournament so far, including a zoom action for Markkanen to attack the middle for a dunk, a backscreen lob, and an end-of-quarter pick-and-pop with a hammer set that successfully closed out both quarters with a made basket. By halftime Finland had built a 47-37 cushion, capitalizing on offensive rebounds and turnovers to control tempo.

    In the second half, Finland’s defense never let Montenegro back in. The hosts forced 20 turnovers overall, scored 25 points off them, and limited their opponents to 39% shooting. Even on a cold night from three (26%), Finland dominated inside (67% on twos, 36–26 points in the paint, 14–7 second-chance points).

    Markkanen was again the anchor with 26 points and 13 rebounds, while four other Finns also reached double figures. Montenegro got 15 points from Andrija Slavkovic and 14 from Drobnjak, but Nikola Vučević struggled with just 7 points on 2-of-10 shooting and 5 turnovers, despite his 12 rebounds.

    With the 85-65 win, Finland advance to the Round of 16 in front of another sell-out crowd in Tampere, their defense and balance proving too much for a Montenegro side still searching for their first victory.

     

    Turkey 95, Portugal 54

    From the very beginning Turkey dictated the terms of this game, taking Portugal completely out of rhythm. Travante Williams picked up two quick fouls and without their best on-ball defender Portugal had no answer for Turkey’s physicality. On-ball defense from Turkey was elite, full of deflections, steals and ball pressure and Portugal never found any consistent offensive flow. By halftime they had already committed 14 turnovers, more than in their entire game against Serbia.

    That defensive dominance fueled Turkey’s transition attack, piling up an estimated 25 points off turnovers. Their interior game was just as punishing: Portugal’s lack of depth and size inside was fully exposed, with Queiroz overmatched against Turkey’s bigs. The collapse of the Portuguese defense, including brief zone looks, only opened more clean shots. Turkey ended with 48 points in the paint and shot efficiently from deep (8-of-19).

    Alperen Sengun led the way with 20 points, 7 rebounds, and 5 assists all in just 21 minutes, sitting the entire fourth quarter. Furkan Korkmaz and Onuralp Bitim added a spark off the bench to help build the halftime lead to 24 and from there the result was never in doubt. Turkey finished at 60% shooting while holding Portugal to just 31%, securing a 95-54 win and an unbeaten 3-0 start in Group A.

      

    Spain 88, Bosnia & Herzegovina 67

    Spain came out sharp and never really let Bosnia settle. Both teams played with flair early, but Spain’s efficiency made the difference: at halftime they were shooting 42% from deep compared to just 10% for Bosnia, while also taking better care of the ball (5 turnovers to 8). A late Bosnia three before the break trimmed the gap to 14, but Spain still held a comfortable 44-30 lead.

    From there the defending champions kept their foot down. Quick threes out of halftime stretched the margin, and Bosnia’s attempts to hang around were undone by cold shooting from the perimeter (3-of-21 for the game). In contrast, Spain buried 15 triples overall. Santi Aldama (4-of-6 from three, 19 points) and Dario Brizuela (5-of-9 from deep, 15 points, 5 assists) led the charge in a shooting clinic that decided the game.

    Spain’s defense also did its job, limiting Jusuf Nurkić to just 10 points and keeping Bosnia from generating rhythm in the halfcourt. In the end, the combination of perimeter firepower and defensive control gave Spain a crucial 88-67 win, leveling their Group C record at 1-1 and restoring momentum after their opening loss.

     

    Poland 66, Israel 64

    Loyd delivers late as Poland grind out second win. Poland jumped out quickly behind Jordan Loyd and Mateusz Ponitka, leaning on the short roll in pick-and-roll and even posting up Israel’s guards. They led 19-14 after the first, then mixed in a 2-3 matchup zone and constant defensive switches to keep Israel guessing. By halftime, Poland had controlled pace and execution to take a 37-26 advantage.

    The game flipped in the third quarter. Israel ramped up ball pressure, delaying Poland’s offense and feeding Deni Avdija in adjusted post-up actions that pulled him away from the block and set him up to attack the middle of the floor. Avdija exploded for 16 points in the frame as Israel stormed ahead with a 25-11 quarter, seizing a 51-48 lead.

    Poland answered in the fourth. Ponitka opened with a 5-0 run, and the hosts finally found their range, hitting 4-of-8 from three in the final period. Still, it came down to the final possessions. Avdija hunted mismatches and nearly carried Israel to the win, but Loyd scored 10 points down the stretch, including the game-winning tip-in off his own miss. Israel had one last chance, but Avdija’s contested step-back three rimmed out, sealing a 66-64 Poland victory.

    It was a gritty contest with both coaches leaving fingerprints on the game plan. Poland shot inconsistently and turned it over 17 times, but won the rebounding battle 51-40 and leaned on their stars: Loyd (27 points, 5-of-8 from deep) and Ponitka (16 points, 11 boards). Avdija stood out in defeat with 23 points, 9 rebounds, and 5 assists, but Israel fell to 1-1 while Poland stayed unbeaten at 2-0 in Group D.

     

    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 30, 2025, 6:30 pm