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Lauri Markkanen reacts to Finland’s ‘unreal’ upset over Serbia in EuroBasket round of 16
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- Lauri Markkanen reacts to Finland’s ‘unreal’ upset over Serbia in EuroBasket round of 16
The post Lauri Markkanen reacts to Finland's 'unreal' upset over Serbia in EuroBasket round of 16 appeared first on ClutchPoints .
Serbia's EuroBasket 2025 dreams came crashing down in Riga, where Finland shocked the favorites with a 92-86 win in the Round of 16 on Saturday. The result ended Nikola Jokic's campaign early for the second consecutive tournament and propelled Finland into the quarterfinals for the second straight time in their history.
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Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen led Finland with 29 points, adding 8 rebounds, 3 assists, and 4 steals while shooting 12-of-13 from the free-throw line.
"Unreal," Markkanen said after the game . "Great performance by the team. We needed every single one of them tonight, everybody in the stands, the staff, the players. Big credit to them. We're not done yet, but we're gonna enjoy this. Obviously, that's a heck of a team we just beat, and now we move forward."
It was Finland's first victory over Serbia since 2009, breaking an eight-game losing streak, and was the nation's first-ever back-to-back quarterfinal appearances. For Serbia, it was a painful repeat of their Round of 16 elimination to Italy in 2022.
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Finland opened the game with an 11-1 run and led 16-5 after the first quarter. Serbia responded, tying the game at 28-28 and entering halftime ahead 48-44, with Jokic scoring 16 of his 33 points in the opening half. The Finns battled back in the third, seizing a 68-66 advantage.
The fourth quarter turned into a thriller. Serbia surged ahead 77-75 with a 6-0 run, but Elias Valtonen delivered a decisive stretch, scoring 8 of his 13 points in the final two minutes. His two three-pointers and tip-in pushed Finland to an 87-81 lead with under a minute remaining. Serbia's comeback attempt fell short despite Jokic hitting a late three-pointer.
Finland grabbed 20 offensive boards, repeatedly extending possessions and punishing Serbia's defense. Four Finnish players scored in double figures, including Markkanen (29), Mikael Jantunen (15), Valtonen (13), and 19-year-old Miro Little (13 points, 8 rebounds, 6 assists, 3 steals).
Serbia leaned heavily on Jokic, who posted 33 points on 9-of-13 shooting and 14-of-19 at the line, with 8 rebounds, 3 assists, and 3 steals. Nikola Jovic contributed 20 points, while no other Serbian reached double figures. From deep, the Serbian side never found their rhythm, finishing just 29 percent from three.
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Finland now awaits the winner of France vs. Georgia in the quarterfinals, with a chance to secure the best finish in the country's basketball history.
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