Germany became the first team to secure a berth in the FIBA Basketball World Cup final on Friday with a surprising defeat on Slovenia 99-91. The game was an exciting, fast-paced affair in Riga, Latvia. The unbelievably talented rookie Luka Dončić stole the show that day. He scored an impressive 39 points, grabbed 10 rebounds and tallied seven assists. Alas, it wouldn’t be enough to push Slovenia past the tenacious German team.
That last battle will be waged on Sunday in Riga, the capital of Latvia — where all of the knockout rounds have been held. Virtually every trip down the court, Dončić showed why he truly is a generational talent, powering Slovenia to a halftime lead of 51-45. He contributed significantly to the scoreboard, including a pivotal 3-pointer that briefly gave Slovenia an 86-85 lead with just over four minutes remaining.
Despite Dončić’s standout performance, which included a technical foul assessed early in the game, Slovenia struggled against Germany’s depth and strategy. Andreas Obst sank a big 3-pointer for Germany to keep them in the game. His jumper set the team up for a crucial 77-74 advantage less than a minute into the fourth quarter. Germany’s impressive bench performance played a huge role in their overall performance. On the other end, Finland flexed their depth muscles by scoring 44 points from their bench. Georgia finished with just four.
Finland’s Miikka Muurinen was a spark plug off the bench with seven points. He in fact could be a high NBA first-round pick himself in 2027, touching on the previously mentioned and growing proficiency of European basketball’s youth. Mikael Jantunen lit up the scoreboard as he poured in 19 points for Finland. At the same time, Lauri Markkanen pitched in with 17 points and six rebounds, showcasing their tournament worthiness.
Sandro Mamukelashvili, the leading scorer for Georgia, would finish with 22 points but was unable to turn the tide against a powerful Finnish squad. It was a prime example of the depth and skill that has marked this year’s tournament to date.
“It’s been the same group for a long time. It’s a very tight group, like coming back and playing with your friends.” – Mikael Jantunen
Germany prepares for the final, sending a determined Slovenian side home. The Slovenians put up a fine fight, but in the end lost the battle. As the excitement continues to mount with each passing day leading up to what should be an exciting championship game on Sunday.
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