Just one victory now separates Germany from fulfilling their mission of lifting the FIBA EuroBasket 2025 trophy after a commanding 98-86 win over Finland in a hard-fought semi-final. The reigning world champions demonstrated both skill and composure, showcasing why they are considered one of the top teams in international basketball.
Germany’s triumph ended the fairy-tale run of the Finnish Wolfpack, who fought valiantly and made the game competitive, particularly in the second half. With this victory, Germany has advanced to their first EuroBasket final since 2005, keeping alive the chance to secure a second title alongside their 1993 championship. Finland, meanwhile, will make history by appearing in their first ever EuroBasket semi-final and will compete in the Third Place Game.
Turning Point
Finland came into the semi-final highly motivated after a heavy 91-61 defeat to Germany during the group stage. They opened the game with a 14-6 lead, showing laser-focused offense. However, Germany responded with an 18-3 run, asserting control and taking a 29-21 advantage. After the first quarter, the scoreboard read 30-26 in Germany’s favor – the highest-scoring first quarter in EuroBasket history.
With 10,047 fans cheering at Arena Riga, Germany maintained their momentum in the second quarter, starting with a 16-2 run that extended the margin to 46-28. Finland fought back, trimming the gap to 11 points by halftime, trailing 61-47.
The Wolfpack briefly reignited hope for their supporters with a five-point opening in the third quarter, narrowing Germany’s lead to nine points. But the reigning world champions answered with a trio of three-pointers, stretching the margin to 70-52. Finland refused to quit, posting a 13-0 run to cut the deficit to 77-73 and ending the third quarter down 81-73.
In the final period, Germany’s offense slowed, but their defense was suffocating, holding Finland to just two points in the first five minutes and increasing the lead to 87-75. Germany sealed the win with a rapid succession of three triples in 71 seconds, putting the game out of reach at 96-80 with under four minutes remaining.
TCL Player of the Game
While Germany had several standout performers, Dennis Schröder and Franz Wagner were instrumental in controlling the game. Schröder earned the TCL Player of the Game honors, delivering an exceptional 26 points with four three-pointers and recording 12 assists – the most by any player in a EuroBasket semi-final over the past 30 years. Wagner added 22 points, Tristan Da Silva contributed 13, and Daniel Theis chipped in 10 points and 11 rebounds.
For Finland, Olivier Nkamhoua set a personal EuroBasket best with 21 points, and Lauri Markkanen scored 16 points, joining Timo Lampen (621) as one of the few players to surpass 500 career points in EuroBasket history.
Stats Don’t Lie
Germany had struggled from three-point range in their previous two games, hitting just 1-of-24 and 1-of-9, but they rebounded strongly, making 5-of-10 early and finishing 14-of-35 overall. The German team also excelled in transition, outscoring Finland 18-11 in fast-break points and capitalizing on opportunities to score efficiently.
Bottom Line
Germany has now secured a podium finish in three of the last four major competitions – third at FIBA EuroBasket 2022, champions at the 2023 FIBA World Cup, and fourth at the 2024 Olympics. Their next obstacle will be either Greece or Türkiye, who face off later in the day to determine Germany’s opponent in Sunday’s final.
Finland, for their part, still have a chance to make history with a first-ever EuroBasket podium finish when they face the loser of the second semi-final in the Third Place Game. Despite the loss, their performance in Riga cements their reputation as a rising force in European basketball.
Schroder, Wagner help carry Germany into first Final in 20 years!https://t.co/1QrylbwRa8
— FIBA EuroBasket (@EuroBasket) September 12, 2025
