Greece Wins Third Place in EuroBasket Marking First Medal in 16 Years
At Arena Riga in Latvia on Sunday afternoon, Greece sealed the EuroBasket bronze with a 92-89 win over Finland. It was the team’s first medal in 16 years. Greece built a 24–15 first-quarter cushion, extended it to 48–34 at half after another 24-point period, and entered the fourth up 69–56 despite Finland edging the third 22–21.
The last quarter was a nail-biting ten minutes of intense action, with Finland coming really close to victory, scoring 33 points against Greece’s 22. However, the Greek team managed to win the game. With the podium decider complete, the result caps a campaign defined by landmark wins and a hard semi-final lesson for the Greek dream team.
HELLAS BACK ON THE EUROBASKET PODIUM!
pic.twitter.com/TGhrXOC44e
— FIBA EuroBasket (@EuroBasket) September 14, 2025
Greece’s journey through Eurobasket 2025
Group play in Limassol set the tone for this year’s Eurobasket path for Greece. The country’s beloved team topped its pool with a hard-fought 90-86 victory over Spain, a side that entered the finale 2-2 after an opening loss to Georgia left it chasing tiebreakers. Greece had already qualified at 3-1 and started fast, ripping a 14-0 run as Tyler Dorsey poured in 14 points and the team sank 8-of-10 three-pointers to lead 30-14. Spain rallied to 38-33, but Greece closed the half 13-2 for 50-36.
Spain’s push continued after the break, tying the game at 71-71 and later nudging ahead 84-82. Giannis Antetokounmpo steadied Greece with back-to-back baskets before Spain faltered at the line: Juancho Hernangomez missed three free throws with 13 seconds left and Santi Aldama split two with 9.4 remaining. Antetokounmpo, who started slowly but distributed early, finished on the brink of a triple-double with 25 points, 14 rebounds and nine assists, while Dorsey totaled 22.
In the Round of 16, Greece overcame Israel 84-79 to claim the last quarter-final berth. Greece led almost wire to wire yet could not pull away until late, with Israel cutting the margin to 60-58 before a timely burst from Kostas Sloukas, Alexandros Samodurov and Kostas Antetokounmpo restored daylight. A layup from Sloukas reopened double digits early in the fourth and settled control.
Giannis Antetokounmpo again dominated, recording a 37-point, 10-rebound double-double on 18-of-23 shooting and a performance index rating of 37. “One of the top three players in the world, his game is very strong and unique,” Israel coach Ariel Beit-Halahmy said afterward. Teammate Tyler Dorsey added, “They couldn’t stop him tonight, and we kept feeding him.” The result sent Greece to a fourth straight EuroBasket quarter-final and ninth top-eight finish in ten editions.
The momentum carried into Riga, where Greece beat Lithuania 87-76 to reach a first semi-final in sixteen years. Antetokounmpo supplied 29 points on 9-of-15 shooting and 11-of-16 from the line, plus six rebounds, two assists, four steals and a block. Vasileios Toliopoulos hit three triples on his way to 17 points, and Kostas Sloukas added 11 and four assists. “My players did a great job playing with a big heart,” coach Vasilis Spanoulis said.
JANTUNEN HAD A CHANCE TO PUT FINLAND IN FRONT
#EuroBasket pic.twitter.com/HhlmpkmwFP
— FIBA EuroBasket (@EuroBasket) September 14, 2025
The resounding defeat from Turkey
Turkey halted the surge in the semi-final, winning 94-68 after seizing control early and stretching the margin beyond 20 by the fourth. Celebratory posts from Turkey led to an official protest being issued by Greece. The Hellenic Basketball Federation (EOK) lodged an official protest after a social media post by the Turkish Basketball Federation celebrating Turkey’s victory over Greece in the EuroBasket 2025 semi-final on Friday.
EOK said the protest had also been communicated to FIBA. The Turkish federation later removed the post following the complaint, according to the Greek body.
As for the other finalist this year, Germany beat Finland 98-86 in the other semi, sending Greece to today’s bronze decider. Off the court, Greece’s federation filed an official protest over a Turkish “No Mercy” graphic and a separate social-media flare-up, but the team’s focus stayed on execution.
Two titles, in 1987 and 2005, frame that ambition. Greece now targets sustained consistency across future windows.
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