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Finland Stuns Serbia, Luka Dončić Dominates As 2025 EuroBasket Quarterfinals Are Set

Grant Afseth September 8, 2025 Fact checked by: Sara Jane Gamelli No Comments

EuroBasket’s knockout stage has delivered the unexpected. Three of Europe’s giants — Spain, France, and Serbia — are already gone. Defending champion Spain was eliminated in group play. France, last year’s runner-up, collapsed in the round of 16. And Serbia, led by two-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokić, suffered a stunning early exit.

Luka Dončić, Slovenia, Los Angeles Lakers, FIBA, NBA, Eurobasket
Photo Courtesy of FIBA

Those surprises have paved the way for breakthrough stories. Finland advanced to the quarterfinals for the first time since 2017, while Georgia reached this stage for the first time in its history. Luka Dončić carried Slovenia past Italy with a 42-point performance, and Giannis Antetokounmpo once again showed why Greece is a title contender. Turkey, Germany, and Lithuania all survived difficult tests to book their places in the last eight.

The round of 16 packed drama, resilience, and history into every matchup. In Riga, Finland toppled Serbia, and Georgia shocked France. Slovenia and Italy played a thriller. Germany fought past Portugal after three tense quarters. Turkey leaned on Alperen Şengün to outlast Sweden. Lithuania silenced co-host Latvia in a heated battle, and Greece edged Israel with Antetokounmpo overpowering the game.

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Finland Sends Serbia Home Early

Finland pulled off the upset of the tournament by defeating Serbia 92–86 in Riga. It was the Finns’ first victory over Serbia since 2009 and only their second appearance in the EuroBasket quarterfinals.

Jokić scored 33 points but could not rescue Serbia from its rebounding woes. Afterward, the Denver Nuggets star pointed directly to Finland’s 20 offensive rebounds as the difference.

“We knew what they were doing, we prepared well, we watched film, still they managed to just be better and more physical than us,” Jokić said. “Just unacceptable.”

The three-time NBA MVP admitted that from the opening minutes, Serbia lacked the necessary urgency.

“They played a great game. From the start we didn’t come ready,” Jokić said. “I just wasn’t ready from the jump.”

Elias Valtonen delivered the decisive stretch, scoring eight points in the final two minutes, including two 3-pointers and a putback. Lauri Markkanen, who finished with 29 points, said the victory ranks among the most special moments of his career.

“It’s up there… We had a few difficult days, but this shows the spirit of the team and that we can overcome these,” Markkanen said.

The Utah Jazz forward spoke with pride about representing his country on a stage this big.

“It’s a great honor to play for Finland, and I feel amazing every time I step on the court in the national team jersey,” he said.

Markkanen said Finland’s ambitions extend well beyond a single upset.

“We’re not done yet. But we’re gonna enjoy this,” he said. “That is a heck of a team over there that we just beat. So now we move forward.”

Looking ahead to the next round, he said Finland’s locker room is already talking about bigger dreams.

“We’ve always been talking about taking the next steps,” Markkanen said. “Who knows, maybe we win that and we go to the medal games. That’s the next idea.”

Georgia Makes History Against France

Finland’s next opponent will be Georgia, which reached the quarterfinals for the first time in its history after defeating France 80–70.

As the final buzzer sounded in Riga Arena, Georgian players raced from the bench to embrace one another while fans erupted in song and drumming. Veteran center Giorgi Shermadini said the moment was overwhelming.

“Unbelievable,” Shermadini said. “I’m really happy, congrats to my teammates, everyone, all our fans in Georgia and here.”

Captain Tornike Shengelia, who poured in 24 points and eight rebounds, explained that belief never wavered, even against a more decorated opponent.

“We never stopped fighting, believing,” Shengelia said. “I want to thank the people who came this far to Riga to support us. We felt the extra energy.”

France, missing Victor Wembanyama, Rudy Gobert and Evan Fournier, was ice-cold from outside, shooting 6-for-36 from deep. Guerschon Yabusele, the team’s primary scoring option, was limited to 12 points, while 2024 No. 1 draft pick Zaccharie Risacher had just seven.

Dončić Puts Slovenia On His Back

Slovenia edged Italy 84–77 behind Luka Dončić’s 42 points and 10 rebounds. The Los Angeles Lakers star had 30 points by halftime, but it took four late free throws to finally seal the win after Italy stormed back.

Dončić said Slovenia entered with full respect for Italy’s quality.

“We knew before the game that Italy is one of the best teams in Europe,” Dončić said. “They showed that in the group stage when they almost finished first. So we knew it was going to be a tough game.”

He acknowledged that Slovenia’s blistering first quarter was always unsustainable.

“It was unrealistic that we would play the whole game like we did the first quarter,” Dončić said. “When they tried to come back we stuck together and played one of the best defensive games this tournament.”

In the third quarter, Dončić took a hard fall and spent a moment wincing on the sideline. Afterward, he tried to downplay concerns about his health.

“Of course everything hurts, but we’ll do the therapy and it will all be fine,” Dončić said. “I hope it’ll be okay, we’ll do our best.”

Germany Rallies To Beat Portugal

Germany survived a major scare before closing out Portugal 85–58. Portugal, led by Boston Celtics big man Neemias Queta, led 32–31 at halftime and trailed by only one entering the fourth.

Center Daniel Theis said the Germans struggled until their bench shifted the energy.

“We wanted to win, and that’s what we did at the end,” Theis said. “Portugal played very well on defense. Deep in the paint, they made us shoot threes. We couldn’t make shots, especially in the first half. What makes us a good team happened later; our bench came in, especially Maodo [Lo] gave us a burst, Tristan [Da Silva] helped us too. Isaac Bonga can guard 1 to 5 and he’s everywhere on deflections and rebounds, which helps us a lot, especially playing fast on offense.”

Captain Dennis Schröder said Portugal’s detailed scouting made life difficult.

“I’m just happy we won this game,” Schröder said. “It was really tough, a real nail-biter. Portugal played well and gave us problems — they were well coached and prepared for us. Their scouting was impressive, they played different pick-and-roll defenses based on matchups, and that made things tough.”

Franz Wagner, Powers Germany Past Portugal

Forward Franz Wagner admitted frustration at Germany’s cold shooting but said defense and rebounding turned the game.

“It was a struggle for sure,” Wagner said. “We had to keep trusting our system and keep pushing, even when shots weren’t falling. Our defense and rebounding made the difference late in the game.”

Acting head coach Alan Ibrahimagić credited Portugal for testing Germany more than expected.

“Great respect for Portugal, they made life very difficult for us,” Ibrahimagić said. “We expected a tough game, but you never know how it feels until you experience it. Our guys responded in the fourth quarter and showed great character.”

Head coach Alex Mumbrú, who returned to the bench for the contest, emphasized the continuity behind Germany’s success.

“The whole coaching staff worked together and the players have adopted my system well,” Mumbrú said. “We’ve won every game together for years. We have to keep this going.”

Şengün Dominates As Turkey Holds Off Sweden

Turkey overcame Sweden 85–79 with Alperen Şengün stuffing the stat sheet: 24 points, 16 rebounds and six assists.

Şengün said Turkey showed grit despite uneven execution.

“You can’t play well every day,” Şengün said. “Today was one of our off days, but the tournament is long. From this point on, we can’t afford mistakes.”

He said the team’s intensity shift after halftime was the key.

“We came out tougher in the second half and took control,” Şengün said. “Sweden hit some very tough shots. We managed to stay in the game and win. I congratulate my teammates and also Sweden for putting up a good fight.”

With tipoff scheduled for noon, Şengün suggested the early start may have contributed to Sweden’s strong opening.

“We’re a better team than Sweden, but we played at 12 o’clock,” he said. “At such times, any team can have a chance. That’s why Sweden started the game well and fought hard. But because we’re a good team, we didn’t give up, we stayed in the game, and we won.”

Ludvig Hakanson tied the game at 76 with a 3-pointer late before Turkey finished on a run. He led Sweden with 16 points, while Cedi Osman scored 17 for Turkey.

Lithuania Survives Latvia’s Push

Lithuania defeated co-host Latvia 88–79 to return to the quarterfinals. Missing injured guard Rokas Jokubaitis, Lithuania turned to Arnas Velička, who delivered 21 points and 12 assists.

Velička said he embraced the responsibility of filling Jokubaitis’ void.

“I knew that players could go out, so somebody would have to step up,” Velička said.

He explained that staying calm was critical when Latvia surged with a late barrage of 3-pointers.

“We stayed together, kept fighting even when Latvia made their late run, and just executed when it mattered most,” Velička said.

Arnas Velička Shines For Lithuania 

Head coach Rimas Kurtinaitis said the result was dedicated to their absent playmaker.

“We dedicate this victory to Rokas Jokubaitis,” Kurtinaitis said. “The team played with heart for him tonight — everyone stepped up.”

He added that toughness was the defining trait of the performance.

“This win was about toughness and mental focus,” Kurtinaitis said. “We respected Latvia — they play hard, and the crowd gave everything, but our group rose to the challenge.”

Forward Deividas Sirvydis said unity carried Lithuania through the hostile setting.

“It’s not easy against a team like Latvia, especially here,” Sirvydis said. “We handled their pressure and played as a unit. We want to keep this going for Rokas.”

Giannis Powers Greece Past Israel

Greece advanced with an 84–79 victory over Israel behind Giannis Antetokounmpo’s 37 points and 10 rebounds.

Antetokounmpo said he approached the knockout game with urgency.

“In these games, you have to be ready from the start,” Antetokounmpo said. “Every play counts, and everyone needs to step up. We kept our focus, stayed aggressive, and made it happen.”

He emphasized the trust his teammates showed in giving him opportunities to lead the offense.

“My teammates believe in me; it’s my job to be aggressive,” Antetokounmpo said. “They kept feeding me — I just played my game and tried to make everyone better around me.”

Israel stayed close behind strong outside shooting, but Antetokounmpo said Greece’s composure decided the contest.

“Israel really fought tonight, but I like how we stayed together and kept pushing, even when the game got close,” he said.

Looking ahead, Antetokounmpo said Greece would not linger on the win.

“We’re all excited for the next round, but we know every game gets tougher,” he said. “We’ll celebrate quickly and get back to work.”

A New Era Of Contenders

Finland is in the quarterfinals for the first time since 2017. Georgia has never been this far before. One of them will now be guaranteed a place in the semifinals.

Slovenia and Germany will clash in a heavyweight matchup. Turkey faces Poland in a battle of resilience. Lithuania and Greece collide in a marquee showdown of tradition against star power.

From Valtonen’s clutch shooting to Dončić’s relentless scoring, from Georgia’s historic breakthrough to Antetokounmpo’s dominance, EuroBasket has already produced lasting memories. The semifinals and championship are still to come.

Quarterfinals Take Shape

The stage is now set for four quarterfinal matchups that promise intrigue at every turn.

Finland vs. Georgia — At least one new semifinalist will be crowned. Finland is leaning on Lauri Markkanen’s scoring and Elias Valtonen’s timely shot-making, while Georgia is riding the inside-out force of Tornike Shengelia and the energy of a nation making history.

Slovenia vs. Germany — Luka Dončić has scored 30 or more points in four games already, but Germany brings the balance of Dennis Schröder’s playmaking, Franz Wagner’s versatility, and championship experience from the 2023 World Cup run.

Turkey vs. Poland — Alperen Şengün has been one of the most productive players of the tournament, controlling the glass and facilitating offense, but Poland counters with the perimeter punch of Jordan Loyd and the all-around impact of Mateusz Ponitka.

Lithuania vs. Greece — Giannis Antetokounmpo remains nearly unstoppable, but Lithuania has tradition and toughness, with Arnas Velička stepping up in Rokas Jokubaitis’ absence and a frontline built to battle inside.

The round of 16 dismantled familiar hierarchies while elevating fresh challengers. From Valtonen’s late-game heroics to Dončić’s unstoppable scoring, from Georgia’s emotional breakthrough to Antetokounmpo’s dominance, EuroBasket has already delivered unforgettable theater. And with the semifinals and championship still to come, the drama is far from over.

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