Basketball EM
Defending champions Slovenia and Doncic are defeated by Poland
Slovenia’s star player Luka Doncic (M) is frustrated by the course of the game against Poland. photo
© Soeren Stache/dpa
Defending champion Slovenia and NBA superstar Luka Doncic surprisingly failed in the quarterfinals of the European Basketball Championship. The 2017 European champion lost in Berlin after a bad start with 87:90 (39:58) against outsiders Poland.
Defending champion Slovenia and NBA superstar Luka Doncic surprisingly failed in the quarterfinals of the European Basketball Championship. The 2017 European champion lost in Berlin after a bad start with 87:90 (39:58) against outsiders Poland.
Dallas Mavericks pro Doncic, who had already scored 47 points in a game in this tournament, only had 14 points and flew off the field prematurely after his fifth personal foul. A very weak first half was fatal for the Slovenians.
Before Doncic, top favorite Serbia with Nikola Jokic and the Greeks around Giannis Antetokounmpo were eliminated. The three NBA top stars will therefore leave the final round in Germany without a medal. On the Polish side, Mateusz Ponitka dominated with a rare triple-double (26 points, 15 rebounds, ten assists). The outsider will face the French in the semifinals on September 16 (5:15 p.m. / Magentasport), who had previously beaten Italy 93:85 (77:77, 38:31) after extra time.
One year after Olympic silver in Tokyo, France is on course for the next medal. Rudy Gobert (19 points and 14 rebounds) and Evan Fournier (17) were in the quarterfinals in front of 6324 spectators – including Germany’s captain Dennis Schröder – guarantors of progress. Top scorer was Thomas Heurtel (20). Led by the passionate coach Gianmarco Pozzecco, the Italians were unable to pull off another surprise three days after the spectacular coup against top favorites Serbia.