Three of the biggest powerhouses in Europe claimed another victory in the World Cup qualifiers, while the biggest upset of the night was the win of Croatia against Italy on the road.
The Croatians claimed a much-needed victory (72-78), with Bojan Bogdanovic leading the way with 26 points, yet their qualification still is in jeopardy (2-3 record). On the other hand, the Italians, who saw Piero Aradori score 15 points, have secured the top spot in Group D (4-1).
Spain beat Slovenia on the road (72-83) and the European champions now need to beat Montenegro on Sunday to advance to the second round. Four players scored in double digits for the Spaniards, whereas Jaka Blazic had 18 points and five rebounds for Slovenia.
A 24-10 run in the third quarter was enough for Greece to decimate Israel (78-96) and remain undefeated in Group H (5-0), with Konstantinos Mitoglou having 21 points on 9/11 shooting. Jake Cohen had 21 points and five boards for the Israelis.
Similarly, Lithuania were victorious for a fifth straight time in Group C, as they beat Poland 61-79 on the road, thanks to a 22-8 run in the second quarter. Four players scored in double figures for the winners, with Mateusz Ponitka producing 16 for the losing squad.
Results:
Group A: Slovenia 72-83 Spain, Montenegro 80-69 Belarus
Group B: Sweden 72-82 Latvia, Turkey 80-66 Ukraine
Group C: Poland 61-79 Lithuania, Kosovo 65-81 Hungary
Group D: Italy 72-78 Croatia, Netherlands 77-52 Romania
Group H: Israel 78-96 Greece
