Los Angeles Lakers star Luka Dončić had 42 factors and 10 rebounds as Slovenia held off a fourth-quarter surge from Italy to win 84-77 on the EuroBasket event Sunday and arrange a quarterfinal match in opposition to World Cup winner Germany.
Slovenia led 29-11 on the finish of the primary quarter, and Dončić reached 30 factors by halftime — the fourth time this event that he has scored a minimum of 30 factors in a sport.
However Italy staged a shocking comeback and moved inside one level of Slovenia with just below two minutes left.
The ice-cool Dončić then twice made each of his free throws to go 40 factors and maintain Italy out of attain.
Georgia superior to the quarterfinals for the primary time with a dominant 80-70 win in opposition to France.
Georgia’s gamers sprinted off the bench on the finish of the round-of-16 matchup, hugging and leaping up and down as their followers banged drums and danced within the crowd in Riga, Latvia.
“Unbelievable. I am actually completely satisfied, congrats to my teammates, everybody, all our followers in Georgia and right here,” Georgia veteran Giorgi Shermadini stated. “France are wonderful, however as we speak we performed higher in protection and offense.”
France was the runner-up to Spain within the 2022 last, however each groups failed to achieve the quarterfinal stage this time. Georgia will subsequent face Finland, which knocked out Nikola Jokic’s Serbia aspect on Saturday.
Olympic silver medalist France made solely 6 of 36 3-point makes an attempt (16.7%), whereas Georgia made 10 of 18 3s and punished France for regularly fouling by sinking 20 of 24 free throws.
Georgia led by one level at halftime and by 9 early into the fourth quarter, with Barcelona ahead Tornike Shengelia’s mix of athleticism and uncooked energy pressuring France’s inexperienced protection.
France’s scrappy offense did not get Guerschon Yabusele, who scored 36 factors in opposition to Poland through the group stage, into sufficient open performs, and he was too typically pushed out broad. Zaccharie Risacher, the No. 1 NBA draft choose final 12 months, discovered some type as France dragged itself again into the sport, and with three minutes left, the rating was 68-68.
However France’s wastefulness from 3 finally proved expensive as Les Bleus couldn’t get on a run.
Shengelia was inspirational for Georgia with 24 factors and eight rebounds, whereas American-born Kamar Baldwin additionally scored 24 for Georgia, which beat Spain through the group stage.
“We by no means stopped preventing, believing,” Shengelia stated. “I need to thank the individuals who got here this far to Riga to assist us. We felt the additional vitality.”
Level guard Sylvain Francisco led France with 14 factors. Yabusele was held to 12 factors, and Risacher mustered solely seven.
France coach Frédéric Fauthoux was with out Victor Wembanyama — who has been coping with deep vein thrombosis in his shoulder — and key veterans like Rudy Gobert and Evan Fournier.
Taking pictures guard Jordan Loyd scored 28 factors and ahead Mateusz Ponitka had 19 factors and 11 rebounds as Poland beat Bosnia and Herzegovina 80-72 to arrange a quarterfinal in opposition to Turkey.
Utah Jazz heart Jusuf Nurkić once more led Bosnia and Herzegovina with 20 factors and 7 rebounds.
Within the final round-of-16 match, Greece — which eradicated defending champion Spain within the group stage — beat Israel 84-79 to arrange a quarterfinal match in opposition to three-time champion Lithuania.
Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo put in one other dominating efficiency with 37 factors and 10 rebounds.
The quarterfinals shall be held Tuesday and Wednesday. The ultimate is subsequent Sunday.
The Related Press contributed to this report.
