Giannis Antetokounmpo's Greece Dominates Lithuania and Will Face Turkey in the Eurobasket Semifinals

Eurobasket 2025 is in its final phase, and the quarterfinals were a true test of nerves, strategy, and skill. In a day full of emotions, Turkey and Poland, as well as Lithuania and Greece, faced each other in intense duels that defined the future of the tournament. With a result that did not disappoint the fans, these matches not only welcomed the semifinals but also set the stage for the eagerly anticipated encounter between two giants: Turkey vs. Greece.

Turkey - Poland

The match between Turkey and Poland was a perfect example of the importance of maintaining concentration under pressure. The Turkish team, with a well-balanced squad and their star Alperen Sengun leading the way, secured a convincing victory in a match full of ups and downs, ensuring their spot in the semifinals with an 84-71 win.

From the start, Turkey took control of the scoreboard with a standout offensive performance, mainly due to Sengun's presence in the paint. The pivot, with his dominant physicality, made the difference under the boards, tallying 19 points, 12 rebounds, and 10 assists in 31 minutes of play. The Turkish defense also played a crucial role, limiting Poland to a 34.5% three-point shooting accuracy.

On the Polish side, Jordan Lloyd was the undisputed leader. With 19 points and 3 rebounds, he tried to keep his team in the game, but the lack of depth on the bench and inconsistency in their three-point shooting (14.3% accuracy) prevented the team from causing an upset. The absence of a reliable second scoring option weighed down the Polish team, who couldn't avoid defeat in critical moments.

The final quarter witnessed a contest that was already decided, but Turkey, with their controlled pace and well-crafted plays, closed out the game without major issues, securing their spot in the semifinals.

Lithuania - Greece

The clash between Lithuania and Greece was undoubtedly one of the most intense and anticipated of this round. Both teams arrived with great confidence, but the outcome was clear: Greece advanced to the semifinals after defeating Lithuania 87-76, in a match marked by the dominance of Giannis Antetokounmpo, who once again showed why he is one of the most complete players in the world.

Lithuania, despite having a solid team and a stellar performance from Jonas Valanciunas (24 points and 15 rebounds), could not avoid falling to the Greek powerhouse. Valanciunas was the backbone of his team, but the rest of the squad did not step up in crucial moments. Marek Blazevic and Arnas Velicka contributed with 4 and 12 points, respectively, but shooting efficiency was a decisive factor. Lithuania ended with a shooting percentage of 44% from the field, 36% from three-point range, and most worrying, a low three-point shooting percentage (36%).

On the other hand, Greece was led by Giannis Antetokounmpo, who with 29 points (9/15 field goals) and 6 rebounds, anchored his team's victory. Additionally, Giannis showed improvement in his free-throw shooting, making 11 of 16 attempts. Greece's defensive work was key, with a solid performance on the boards and Kostas Papanikolaou supporting in critical moments. Sloukas contributed 11 points and 4 assists, while Papanikolaou, with 8 points and 7 rebounds, provided stability to the Greek team. The sharing of the ball and the defensive aggressiveness of the Greek players prevented Lithuania from finding a fluid offensive rhythm in the second half.

The final quarter was a true Greek monologue. Although Lithuania fought until the end, the gap in quality and cohesion between the two teams became more evident. Greece sealed the victory with a final score of 29-21 and advanced to the semifinals with a strong display of character and efficiency.

With victories for both teams, Turkey and Greece are gearing up for an epic showdown in the Eurobasket 2025 semifinals. On Friday, September 12th, both teams will face off in what promises to be a battle of titans.

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, La Grecia de Giannis Antetokounmpo domina a Lituania y se medirá a Turquía en las semifinales del Eurobasket