With Berlin and Zagreb taking a day off today, all eyes were focused on Montpellier and Riga as Eurobasket’s group phase motors on.
Group A
Three years after they picked up a deserved bronze medal at the London Olympics, Russia are staring at back-to-back Eurobasket, first round eliminations in the face after they lost 81-79 to Finland in game one in Montpellier.
In the last 1:34 of the game, Petteri Kopponen missed back-to-back open jump shots from inside the top of the key before fluffing another from the corner.
In big moments, big players hold their nerve. And with 3.5 seconds left, Finland’s guard hit the mark to give his team a priceless victory.
Erik Murphy led the way for the Finns with 19 points.
Bosnia & Herzegovina rallied from 16 points down to spoil Israel’s potential qualification party 86-84 in an overtime thriller.
Elmedin Kikanovic forced overtime with a calm as you like triple and then he picked Alex Renfroe’s loose ball to score with 0.2 seconds left to give the Bosnians a priceless win.
Nemanja Gordic paced Bosnia with 22 points.
France were made to work until the last seconds but eventually got the better of Poland 69-66 in the final game of the day between the group’s previously unbeaten sides.
Tony Parker led the co-hosts and reigning Eurobasket champions with 16 points as they improve to 3-0.
Group D
Belgium stunned Lithuania 76-74 in the first game of the day in Riga thanks to a controversial tip-in from Matt Lojeski.
Belgium improve to 2-1 in the group, the same record as the Lithuanians as their passage to the second round might be more difficult than first imagined.
Lojeski led the Lions with 22 points.
Co-hosts Latvia bounced back from yesterday’s loss to Lithuania by posting a 72-65 win over Czech Republic.
Janis Blums hit four three-pointers, en route to 14 points to lead the victors.
Estonia picked up their first win of Eurobasket as they beat Ukraine 78-71 in the final game of the day in Riga.
Gregor Arbet led the Estonians with 26 points as they have looked to eliminate the Ukrainians.
Social Media
no good #EuroBasket2015 @LithuaniaBasket #lithuania #belgium pic.twitter.com/ebwgbtmb01
— Otomārs (@toillletpolice) September 7, 2015
https://twitter.com/LithuaniaBasket/status/640897031813394432
https://twitter.com/LithuaniaBasket/status/640906350663475200
Congrats @tonyparker – now all-time leading scorer in EuroBasket finals w 1032 pts, passes Greece legend Nikos Gallis (1030) #EuroBasket2015
— David Hein (@heinnews) September 7, 2015
Captain Kikanovic – criticized back home after 2 losses – saved the day for Bosnia and Herzegovina #EuroBasket2015 pic.twitter.com/sQZmodLNdY
— JEFF TAYLOR (@JeffreyNTaylor) September 7, 2015