Despite contrasting results, both Portugal and Sweden advanced to the FIBA EuroBasket knockout rounds for the first time.
Portugal’s EuroBasket dream lives on.
For the first time in history, the Portuguese squad punched its ticket to the knockout rounds after surviving Estonia, 68-65, in their nail-biting Group B finale.
Rafael Lisboa finished with 17 points and five assists, while Boston Celtics big man Neemias Queta added 15 points before he was ejected in the third quarter with a second technical foul.
With the win, the Portuguese squad finished fourth in their group at 2-3 to join leaders Turkey (5-0), Serbia (4-1), and Latvia (3-2) in the knockout rounds.
Speaking of Latvia, the Bertans brothers — Davis and Dairis — combined for 20 points in a ruthless 109-75 beating of Czechia.
The 109 points tied the nation’s record for most scored in a single EuroBasket game. Latvia had tallied 109 in an overtime defeat to Spain in 2005, and they hadn’t hit the century mark since their 100-68 disposal of Montenegro in the Round of 16 back in 2017.
Still in Group B, Alperen Sengün and Turkey clinched the top spot after besting three-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokic and reigning Olympic bronze medalist Serbia, 95-90.
Sengün fell two assists shy of a triple-double after racking up 28 points, 13 rebounds, and eight assists in 36 minutes of play.
Shane Larkin chipped in 23 points, including five triples, as Turkey completed a group-stage sweep and will face Sweden in the Round of 16.
Jokic, meanwhile, tallied 22 points, nine rebounds, and four assists as Serbia sets up a clash with Finland (3-2) in the knockout round.
Elsewhere, reigning world champion Germany stayed unbeaten after demolishing Finland in a 91-61 romp.
Franz Wagner starred for Deutschland with 23 points in just 20 minutes, while reigning FIBA World Cup MVP Dennis Schröder put up an all-around game of 16 points, nine assists, and seven rebounds. Germany (5-0) will take on Portugal in the next round.
Sweden also advanced to the knockout stage despite a 74-71 loss to Lithuania (4-1) in their final Group B match.
They got through thanks to Great Britain’s monumental 89-83 win over Montenegro, which ended the latter’s hopes of advancing.
It marked Great Britain’s first EuroBasket victory since 2013, with Myles Hesson leading the way by scoring 16 of his 25 points in the first half.
For Montenegro, Nikola Vucevic’s sublime double-double of 31 points and 11 rebounds went to waste as they bowed out at 1-4.