Finland punched their ticket to the EuroBasket semi-finals for the first time in history, defeating Georgia 93-79 on Wednesday night in Riga.
The quarter-final clash brought together two surprise packages of the tournament after Finland knocked out Serbia and Georgia eliminated France. Both teams entered the matchup looking to extend their fairytale runs.
The opening minutes were evenly contested, but a late first-quarter surge shifted momentum. Finland closed the period on a 16-3 run, capped by Mikael Jantunen’s buzzer-beating three-pointer, to lead 28-15.
That early cushion allowed Finland to dictate tempo, consistently pushing the pace while Georgia sought to slow the game and work through the post. By halftime, the Finns had stretched their advantage to 57-40.
Georgia showed resilience in the second half. A dunk from Sandro Mamukelashvili cut the deficit to six points with just over seven minutes remaining, raising hopes of a dramatic comeback.
However, Finland responded immediately. Miro Little buried a deep three-pointer, Goga Bitadze was called for an unsportsmanlike foul, and Olivier Nkamhoua drilled a triple that pushed the lead back to 14.
From there, Lassi Tuovi’s squad kept control and closed out the contest to secure their place among the last four. They will face either Germany or Slovenia in Friday’s semi-final.
Jantunen led the way with 19 points and 5 rebounds, hitting four three-pointers and finishing with a +12 plus-minus. His shooting proved decisive after his defensive contributions against Nikola Jokic in the round of 16.
Lauri Markkanen added 17 points, 6 rebounds, and 4 blocks, anchoring both ends of the floor. Edon Maxhuni contributed 15 points off the bench, while veteran guard Sasu Salin chipped in 14.
Finland shot 53 percent from the field and 54 percent from beyond the arc, a level of efficiency that Georgia could not match. Tornike Shengelia and Mamukelashvili combined for 40 points, but the team struggled from deep, hitting just 32 percent.
With the win, Finland not only reach uncharted territory but also cement their status as one of the breakout nations of EuroBasket 2025. Their run continues Friday in Riga, where they aim to extend their historic campaign.
