Here we are, back in the thick of it, with EuroBasket finally underway. The hype has been building and after a long summer of friendlies and preparations, it’s time to see who is for real. Every game is a fresh page in this tournament’s story, and we’ll be here with you every step of the way, covering all the action. The European Hoops team is ready to dive in, offering our takes on the tactics, the players and the moments that matter. The road to the title is long, but it begins now.
Great Britain vs. Lithuania: The opener
The opening game for Group B was a matchup of styles and expectations, with Lithuania coming in as the heavy favorite against a Great Britain team looking to make some noise. From the opening tip, it was clear Lithuania wanted to leverage their size advantage, immediately running pick-and-rolls and targeting mismatches inside. While they managed to get some good looks early on, their engagement was a bit spotty, particularly on the defensive glass, allowing Great Britain to snag some offensive rebounds, something to keep an eye on as the tournament progresses. A lot of the Lithuanian offense seemed to run through Jokubaitis, but you could tell they were missing a secondary ball-handler. On the flip side, Great Britain struggled to counter Lithuania’s size, often settling for tough mid-range shots while trying to get Jonas Valanciunas involved in their pick-and-roll game.
Despite some offensive inconsistencies, including a rough 2-for-19 performance from three-point range, Lithuania dominated the paint, racking up 62 points inside and securing an astonishing 57 rebounds, including 23 offensive rebounds, setting a new EuroBasket record for most rebounds in a game. They controlled the tempo, pushing in transition whenever possible and relying on their athleticism. The coaching staff also threw some interesting looks at Great Britain, including some brief full-court pressure, suggesting they’re willing to experiment with different defensive schemes. While their half-court offense looked a bit clunky at times, living off transition and offensive rebounds, their size and physical dominance were too much for Great Britain. Akwasi Yeboah led the way for GB with 17 points, but it wasn’t enough to overcome a balanced Lithuanian attack led by Jonas Valanciunas (18 points, 9 rebounds) and Azuolas Tubelis (17 points, 7 rebounds), who both made a significant impact in limited minutes. Great Britain’s coach also noted that Gabriel Olaseni is day-to-day, a potential boost if he can return later in the tournament.
Portugal vs. Czechia: A group opener with big implications
In a game that was all about defensive grit and a star big man, Portugal outlasted Czechia 62-50. Both teams looked a bit flustered early on, with turnovers aplenty. Czechia, in particular, coughed it up 19 times and, as Portugal’s head coach Mario Gomes later described, it seemed like stress played a big factor in the offensive execution. Yet, while their offense sputtered at times, Portugal’s defense was the real story, and it made all the difference.
From the jump, Portugal’s defensive pressure was intense, with strong ball pressure and a smart game plan in place to deal with Czech screening actions. They completely disrupted Czechia’s guard play, making life difficult for even the most dynamic players. Neemias Queta, in particular, was an absolute game-changer. He was everywhere, impacting the game on both ends with blocks, rebounds, and a very efficient 15 points in the first half alone. Czechia’s Vit Krejci noted in his post-game remarks that playing 5-on-5 against Portugal is “very hard” when Queta is in the paint. Queta’s dominance was historic, as he became the first player in EuroBasket history to put up more than 20 points and 15 rebounds in his debut.
The Portuguese defense, anchored by Queta, was fantastic, especially with their rim protection. Portugal was over-helping and collapsing the paint on Czechia’s drives with no necessity of doing it because Neemias was controlling and not in foul trouble, allowing easier looks for Czechia. This worked perfectly against a team that struggled with guard play and lacked consistent outside shooting.
While the defense was a team effort, with Travante Williams and Diogo Brito doing an excellent job containing Krejci, Queta was the anchor. As he said after the game, Portugal can’t always count on a perfect offensive night, so their defense has to be at this level. This defensive mindset, coupled with Queta’s rim protection, was the key to their win. Even with some offensive hiccups, like issues with out-of-bounds plays, Portugal’s “Spain” action sets in the half-court created good looks and gave Neemias the space to post up or roll to the basket. Portugal’s ability to hit the glass was key too, scoring 12 points off second chances against 5 points for Czechia. In the end, it was a crucial win for Portugal, proving that even on a bad offensive night, great defense can lead to victory.
Germany vs. Montenegro
In a game that turned into a runaway train in the second half, Germany defeated Montenegro 106-76, but the early minutes told a different story. Montenegro came out hot, shooting 50% from behind the arc in the first quarter, while Germany was struggling, hitting just 1 of their 10 attempts. Despite the stark difference in shooting, Germany’s initial defensive pressure kept the game close, allowing them to hold a slim 24-20 lead heading into the second quarter.
By halftime, Germany was up 46-43, but the momentum had shifted. Montenegro settled into their offense, getting the looks they wanted. Germany seemed to relax defensively after their initial strong start, which allowed Montenegro to keep pace. At the half, Montenegro was a blistering 6-for-11 from three, compared to Germany’s ice-cold 4-for-18. However, the game changed completely after the break.
Germany came out with renewed focus, led by Andreas Obst, who hit three threes in the first six minutes of the third quarter. The entire team found its shooting rhythm, with Dennis Schröder also connecting from deep. Germany’s offense exploded for a 33-12 run in the third quarter. Their size and constant attacking paid off, as they lived at the free-throw line and began to dominate the glass, out-rebounding Montenegro 38-26. Montenegro simply couldn’t match Germany’s physicality.
The final stats told the story of Germany’s second-half dominance. They forced 15 turnovers, scoring 25 points off them, compared to just 7 for Montenegro. Germany’s relentless pace also led to a 20-2 advantage in fast break points and a 22-3 edge in second-chance points, fueled by their rebounding. Montenegro’s poor free-throw shooting (8-for-15) didn’t help their cause either. While Nikola Vucevic (23 points, 10 rebounds) and Kyle Allman (18 points) had solid games for Montenegro, they were no match for Germany’s balanced attack, led by Franz Wagner with 22 points and Obst, who shot an incredible 5-for-6 from three-point range.
Latvia vs. Turkey
In a game defined by a scorching shooting performance and dominant rebounding, Turkey defeated Latvia 93-73. While Latvia showed heart and tenacity early in the game, Turkey’s hot shooting from beyond the arc was too much to overcome.
Turkey started strong, building an early lead, but Latvia fought back, showing their trademark resilience. Latvia’s offense was characterized by constant movement and fluid ball-sharing, often ending possessions with a “Spain” pick-and-roll action to leverage the gravity of their shooters like Davis Bertans. On the other side, Turkey’s offense was largely centered around Alperen Şengün operating in the left block early in the game.
The tide began to turn in Turkey’s favor as they started to impose their physical advantages. Their length and size caused problems for Latvia on both ends of the court. By halftime, Turkey was in control, leading 47-39, powered by their rebounding dominance, holding a 21-12 advantage. They were also red-hot from three-point range, shooting an incredible 64% (7-for-11) by the half. Kenan Sipahi was a key contributor, leading all scorers at halftime with perfect shooting, including 3-for-3 from deep.
Turkey continued to pour it on in the third quarter, extending their lead to 72-55. Their three-point shooting remained stellar, finishing the quarter at a remarkable 12-for-19 from deep, and their rebounding advantage only grew, leading 31-16 on the glass. Ultimately, Turkey’s physical superiority and a truly insane shooting night, finishing 15-for-25 from three and out-rebounding Latvia 40-23, proved to be the deciding factors in the game.
Finland vs. Sweden
In a nail-biting, back-and-forth game, Finland defeated Sweden 93-90. The victory was a testament to their clutch play and superior free-throw shooting.
Sweden started the game strong, particularly with their interior offense. Despite Larsson picking up two quick fouls, Sweden’s focus on attacking the paint paid off, as they scored 16 of their first 28 points inside. This highlighted Finland’s frontcourt issues, particularly with Lauri Markkanen’s pick-and-roll defense against Swedish guards. While Olivier Nkamhoua provided some crucial verticality and blocks, Finland’s transition defense also showed weaknesses. To counter, Sweden slowed the tempo and twice used a 2-3 zone, which completely stalled Finland’s offense.
The second half turned into a three-point shootout, with both teams trading blows from deep. Sasu Salin found his rhythm for Finland, while Sweden caught fire in the third quarter, hitting 4-of-7 from beyond the arc with Hakanson leading the charge. Larsson also started to find his groove, chipping in buckets and giving Sweden a much-needed offensive boost.
As the fourth quarter began, Finland’s interior defense problems persisted. Trailing by four with under five minutes to play, Finland’s Muurinen provided a spark with his defensive tenacity and athleticism, leading to two crucial stops and four quick points. The game remained a one-possession contest in the final three minutes. Ultimately, Finland’s experience and star power sealed the win. Their physicality drew more fouls, and they capitalized from the free-throw line, shooting an efficient 21-for-26, a significant advantage over Sweden’s terrible 9-for-16 from the stripe. Despite being outscored 50-34 in the paint, Finland’s victory was secured by their free-throw accuracy and a strong 28-point, 6-rebound performance from Lauri Markkanen, who lived up to his star reputation.
Serbia vs. Estonia
In the final game of the night, Serbia left no doubt, cruising past Estonia 98-64 in a dominant showing. From the opening tip, they controlled the tempo and quickly built a lead that ballooned to as much as 44 points.
It was as complete a performance as you could ask for, Serbia dictated the game in every area. They finished with a blistering 75% on two-pointers compared to Estonia’s 50%, knocked down 44% from beyond the arc, and were nearly automatic at the free-throw line (89.5%). On the glass, their size and energy translated into a 39-26 rebounding edge.
The stars barely had to break a sweat. Nikola Jokic logged just 23 minutes but still delivered a smooth 11-point, 10-rebound, 7-assist line, highlighted by some brilliant passing. Nikola Jovic led all scorers with 18 points in under 16 minutes, adding 4 rebounds and 6 assists of his own. Serbia looked every bit the well-oiled machine we expect, with Jokic serving as the hub of an offense that flows beautifully and a basketball force that will be difficult to dethrone in this tournament.
Even in a lopsided loss, Estonia showed some willingness to fight. They battled for 10 offensive rebounds and turned them into 10 second-chance points, refusing to fold despite being outmatched across the board.
The EuroBasket action continues tomorrow in Katowice and Limassol, and we’ll be here to break it all down for you.
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!
