EuroBasket Day 7: Key Wins & Standings Shake-Up

  • Last Updated on September 2, 2025 5:31 pm by André Lemos | Published: September 2, 2025

    Welcome to our daily recap of the EuroBasket tournament! The seventh day of the competition was packed with thrilling action, as teams battled for crucial wins and spots in the knockout stage. We saw incredible comebacks, dominant performances from some of the biggest stars and nail-biting finishes that kept fans on the edge of their seats.

    From Luka Dončić and Slovenia surviving a scare against Iceland, to Italy pulling off a win over the defending champions Spain, the intensity was off the charts. Read on as we break down all the key matchups and what they mean for the tournament standings.

    Israel 92, Belgium 89

    Israel punched their ticket to the Round of 16 with a 92–89 win over Belgium, a game that showcased both their early dominance and their late-game struggles to close.

    From the outset, Belgium set a physical tone, committing two off-ball fouls in the opening minute. Israel answered with structure: switching 2–4, going under on 1–5 actions, and feeding Roman Sorkin inside, who scored 10 points in just over five minutes. Their offense was sharp and unselfish, racking up eight assists in the first quarter, while an inverted pick-and-roll freed Deni Avdija to attack smaller guards. Still, Belgium’s aggression kept it close, leading 25–23 after one despite Israel’s 18–4 edge in points in the paint.

    The second quarter tilted decisively Israel’s way. Belgium tried to push pace after a timeout but couldn’t buy a basket, while Israel responded with a 12–0 run to stretch the lead to 18. Avdija thrived as both scorer and playmaker, using his downhill gravity to pick apart the defense, finishing the half with 15 points and three assists. At the break, Israel led 51–36.

    The third quarter saw Belgium give themselves second chances on the glass, but Israel’s free-throw pressure kept them in control, already in the bonus midway through the period. Coach Beit-Halahmy also sprinkled in a 2–3 matchup zone, slowing Belgium’s rhythm. By the end of the quarter, Israel was up 71–54.

    But the game turned in the fourth. Belgium opened with a 4–0 run, then unleashed a 1-2-2 press after dead balls, hunting switches into Hans Vanwijn to collapse Israel’s defense. Their hot shooting, 13-of-20 in the quarter, sliced the deficit to single digits, forcing Israel into multiple timeouts. Avdija was again the hub, creating downhill, but some missed free throws and poor late-game decisions kept Belgium alive. With 2:23 left, Bar Timor’s three briefly steadied Israel, yet Belgium clawed back to within three in the closing seconds. It took Yam Madar’s composure at the line with four seconds left to finally ice the win.

    Avdija led Israel with 22 points, supported by Sorkin’s efficient 18 and a 13-point, 13-rebound double-double from Ginat. Five players hit double figures, a reflection of Israel’s balanced attack. For Belgium, it was also a collective effort, with five double-digit scorers and Vanwijn nearly posting a triple-double (14 points, 11 boards, 9 assists). Belgium shot well from the floor (53% FG, 43% from three) but were undone by free-throw woes at 54%.

    Israel’s interior control (44–32 points in the paint) and defensive versatility carried them through, even as they flirted with collapse. The victory not only secures their place in Riga but also shows both their ceiling and their vulnerability when closing out games.

     

    Bosnia and Herzegovina 80, Greece 77

    Bosnia and Herzegovina handed Greece their first loss of the group stage, holding on 80–77 after nearly letting a big second-half lead slip away.

    Greece started the game with a clear plan: target Jusuf Nurkić in pick-and-roll. Early hedges and traps forced the Bosnian guards toward halfcourt and with Nurkić dragged into space, Greece closed on him with two or three bodies. On the other end, their ball movement flowed, Papanikolaou scored seven quick points, Mitoglou stretched the floor, and Dorsey hit from deep. A fast 8–2 run had them in control, and they were up by as many as 13 early in the second quarter.

    But Bosnia slowly found their rhythm. Nurkić sat late in the first, replaced by Penava, who hit two threes to spark momentum. In the second, Robertson buried a pair of triples during an 18–0 surge that flipped the game. Greece went scoreless for nearly five minutes, struggling to create against Bosnia’s off-ball activity and physicality. The Dragons dominated the glass, 11 rebounds to Greece’s 4 in the quarter and went into halftime up 44–38.

    The third quarter belonged to Bosnia again. Even without Nurkić on the floor to start, their size and switching defense rattled Greece into five turnovers in the first five minutes. Transition baskets and inside-out play extended the lead to nine, then 12. Emotions boiled over on the Greek side, their offense bogged down, and Bosnia carried a 61–52 cushion into the fourth.

    Bosnia’s inside-out balance continued, with Nurkić punishing mismatches on high-low actions while kick-outs created early threes. Their guards’ length and size kept Greece’s smaller backcourt under pressure. By midway through the quarter, Bosnia was up 14. But fatigue crept in, Nurkic played almost the entire final frame and Greece sensed an opening. Hunting him again in pick-and-roll, Dorsey and Sloukas found easier scores, while defensive pressure forced turnovers and got them out in transition. A couple of threes cut the gap to single digits inside the final three minutes.

    Bosnia nearly gave it away with rushed possessions and mistakes, and Greece’s late press made it a one-possession game in the final seconds. But Nurkić’s steady presence and a couple of key stops allowed Bosnia to survive.

    Nurkić posted an all-around line, 18 points, 10 rebounds (6 offensive), 3 assists, 3 steals, and a block, while John Roberson matched him with 18, including four triples. Atic added 15 with 8 boards. For Greece, Sloukas led with 15 and 8 assists, and Dorsey chipped in 14, but they couldn’t overcome 17 turnovers and a pounding on the glass (19 Bosnian offensive rebounds).

    Bosnia’s 18–0 run in the second quarter defined the game, and while they almost let it slip, they leave with a vital win that keeps their Round of 16 hopes alive.

     

     

    Slovenia 87, Iceland 79

    Slovenia punched their ticket to the Round of 16, but it was anything but straightforward. Iceland, still winless, pushed them to the edge behind a barrage of fourth-quarter threes before foul trouble and turnovers doomed their upset bid.

    Slovenia opened by switching Luka Dončić onto every Tryggvi Hlinason screen. Dončić carried the early offense with drives and free throws, but foul trouble (three in the first quarter) kept him from finding rhythm. Without him, Slovenia struggled to create shots, their poor first-half three-point shooting keeping the game tight. On the other side, Hlinason dominated the glass and paired with Martin Hermannsson to generate fluid off-ball movement and transition points.

    When Iceland sat Hlinason, Slovenia’s offense stretched out, finding more threes against a smaller lineup. Still, Iceland’s “big three” of Hermannsson, Fridriksson and Hlinason dictated much of the first half. Slovenia mixed in a Spanish pick-and-roll wrinkle to pull Hlinason away from the rim, giving Dončić lanes, but turnovers and cold shooting let Iceland stay in range. A drawn-up curl for Hermannsson closed the half, with Slovenia only narrowly ahead after Iceland had gone scoreless for three minutes.

    The third quarter marked Slovenia’s best stretch. They went under screens to cut off Hlinason’s rolls and attacked Iceland’s smaller guards inside, even running flex actions to post up Dončić. He finally hit his first three midway through the frame, then buried another on the next trip to push Slovenia up double digits. Nikolić chipped in ball-handling support and 13 points through three quarters. By the end of the period, Slovenia led 60–46 after an 8–3 close.

    Iceland refused to fold. Pállson sparked them with back-to-back threes, Hermannsson stayed aggressive and Hlinason even acted as a high-post playmaker, hitting cutters for easy scores. An astonishing stretch, six straight triples to start the fourth, cut Slovenia’s lead to just five (70–65). Dončić was forced back on after barely a 30-second rest.

    But Iceland couldn’t sustain it. Free throw woes (3-of-8 through nine minutes of the fourth) and rushed threes after their hot run hurt them. Worse, Hlinason fouled out with just over three minutes left, robbing them of their interior anchor. Both sides went small, and Slovenia’s pressure turned the game: 22 points off 18 Iceland turnovers proved decisive. Gregor Hrovat’s corner three in the final minute sealed it.

    Dončić wasn’t efficient from deep (2-of-10) but still finished with 26 points, 7 rebounds, and 4 assists, steadying Slovenia when it mattered. Hermannsson delivered his best of the tournament with 22 and 6 assists, while Hlinason posted 11 and 14 before fouling out.

    Slovenia’s defense, late free throws, and turnover conversion outweighed Iceland’s heroic fourth-quarter shooting (7-of-9 from deep in the period). It wasn’t convincing, but Slovenia moves on.

     

    Georgia 93, Cyprus 61

    Cyprus came out fearless, opening with inverted pick-and-rolls to free Darral Willis Jr. to his left hand and using Gortat screens for Tigkas to attack the paint. Their defensive game plan was clear as well: swarm every Georgia post touch. With the hosts also crashing the glass for five early offensive boards, Georgia looked flat. They settled for jumpers, went just 3-of-13 from three, and attempted only four shots inside the arc in the first quarter. Only Tornike Shengelia brought urgency and after ten minutes it was just 15-13 Georgia.

    Tigkas kept finding seams off the dribble while Cyprus even flashed a 2-3 zone, but Georgia finally caught fire late in the second period. A 13-2 run in the final three minutes, fueled by four made threes, completely flipped momentum. Cyprus still held an unlikely 20-4 edge in points in the paint, but Georgia’s outside shooting carried them to a 42-26 halftime lead.

    The break saw Georgia reset with far more balance. Shengelia and Goga Bitadze spearheaded a 10-0 burst to open the third, asserting their size and quality inside to push the game out of reach. From there, Georgia’s natural superiority prevailed and the contest lost its tension.

    Cyprus battled through Willis Jr. (19 points, 7 rebounds) and Tigkas (11 points), and they worked the offensive glass to the tune of 11 second chances. But Shengelia’s dominance (27 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists) and Bitadze’s inside presence (21 points, 13 rebounds, 3 blocks) overwhelmed them. By the end Georgia had leveled up their paint production (30-28 PiP) and shot the ball efficiently across the floor.

    The win brings Georgia to 2-2 in Group C, setting up a decisive clash with Bosnia and Herzegovina for a place in the Round of 16, while Cyprus drop to 0-4 and remain winless at EuroBasket.

     

    Italy 67, Spain 63

    The game could hardly have started worse for Italy. They went scoreless for the first 7:33 while Spain raced out to a 13-0 lead. Italy’s body language reflected the struggle, Simone Fontecchio missed his first three looks and drifted out of the game, while Melli wasn’t able to steady things either. Even though Italy generated some decent shots, nothing was falling.

    The turning point came with Saliou Niang’s introduction. His energy completely changed the tone, sparking Italy’s run to tie the game. Every time he was on the floor, Italy looked sharper and more connected. Every time he sat, the offense faltered. At halftime Spain still held a 36-30 lead, but the balance of play was shifting.

    A technical foul on Coach Pozzecco in the third quarter gave Spain a brief boost, stretching the lead to 40-32. But Italy responded with heart, closing the frame on a 17-7 run to grab their first lead of the night at 49-47. From there it was a fight.

    The fourth quarter was all about effort and physicality. Spain had been allowed to get away with some bumps early, but Italy adjusted and met the challenge. Niang, though, had to leave with an ankle issue and his absence was noticeable down the stretch. Still, others stepped forward: Spissu and Ricci delivered at the free throw line, and Italy’s grit on both ends carried them through.

    With under a minute left Spain edged ahead 63-62, but Spissu calmly answered with two free throws and added two more in the final seconds followed by Ricci going 1/2 from the line to seal it. Italy’s 14-of-19 from the stripe (74%) proved decisive compared to Spain’s 13-of-22 (59%).

    Spain got a big game from Santi Aldama (19 points, 10 rebounds, 4 assists) and Sergio De Larrea (15 points, 7 rebounds), but they never fully recovered from their offensive stagnation. Italy, meanwhile, saw Niang post a double-double in just 15 minutes (10 points, 10 rebounds, 2 blocks) before his injury, while Mouhamet Diouf gave key production off the bench (14 points, 8 rebounds in 19 minutes).

    In the end, Italy’s resilience and defense held Spain to just 32% shooting, sealing a win that books their Round of 16 place with a statement performance against the reigning champions.

     

    France 83, Poland 76

    France came in with clear intent, opening with full-court pressure to wear down Poland’s ball-handlers and deny Jordan Loyd clean touches. Poland countered by running Ponitka through inside actions against Bilal Coulibaly and freeing Loyd off stagger screens. Early on, France’s energy created stops and buckets (5-of-7 to start), but foul trouble slowed their momentum. Poland stayed afloat by hitting their first three triples and punishing France’s slow rotations off a double-screen set at the top of the key.

    The first half was a grind. France went three minutes without scoring late in the first, while Poland mixed in some zone that briefly disrupted the rhythm, France’s first attack against it was a turnover, echoing their struggles versus Israel. Even so, France’s size and switching on defense were problems for Poland, and their three-big lineup (Hoard–Risacher–Yabusele) gave them control inside, with 18 of their first 32 points coming in the paint. Still, with France ice cold from three (4-for-16), Poland used a Loyd–Ponitka burst to edge in front at the break, 44-41.

    France opened the second half flat again, going nearly four minutes without a point, and Poland extended the margin. But that proved their last stretch of control. Yabusele caught fire, drilling from deep and bullying mismatches, while France dominated the glass. His run flipped the game, 4-of-6 from the field in the third, including two threes, as Poland went scoreless for four minutes and saw their own perimeter shooting crater (1-for-6 from deep in the quarter). France surged ahead 60-55 by the end of the third.

    The captain wasn’t done. Yabusele hit back-to-back threes to open the fourth, giving France their largest cushion. Poland hung around through free throws, Balcerowski drew contact repeatedly, helped by an unsportsmanlike foul on TLC and by mid-quarter France were already in the penalty. But every time Poland closed the gap, France’s defense forced turnovers or second-chance scores off the offensive glass. With Poland within four inside the final two minutes, it was Elie Okobo’s step-back dagger that finally sealed it.

    Yabusele finished with a career-high 36 points (6-of-12 from three), tying Tony Parker and Hervé Dubuisson for the third-highest single-game mark by a Frenchman at EuroBasket. France’s rebounding (22 offensive boards, 19 second-chance points) and superior depth eventually wore down Poland, who couldn’t overcome foul trouble, turnovers, and a dry spell from deep after their hot start.

    France move to 3-1, bouncing back from their slip against Israel, while Poland suffer their first loss despite a raucous home crowd. In the end, Yabusele’s brilliance and France’s athleticism were simply too much.

    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!

    September 2, 2025, 5:31 pm