RIGA, Latvia: Luka Dončić’s 39 points were not enough for Slovenia as it lost 99-91 to Germany in a thrilling EuroBasket quarterfinal on Wednesday.
Orlando Magic guard Franz Wagner scored 23 points and captain Dennis Schröder added 20 points and 7 assists for Germany, which will face Finland in the semifinals on Friday.
Germany guard Andreas Obst’s 3-pointer capped a 12-0 run to put the World Cup champions ahead 77-74 early in the fourth quarter.
Slovenia took the lead 86-85 on a Dončić 3-pointer with 4:12 to go before Schröder sank his only 3-pointer — he missed eight other attempts — to make it 88-86, and Germany closed it out from there.
Dončić was assessed a technical foul early on and had 22 points as Slovenia led 51-45 at halftime. He picked up his fourth foul early in the third quarter yet kept on scoring, although he appeared inhibited at times by the prospect of fouling out with a fifth foul.
The Los Angeles Lakers star — five of 16 from 3-point range — had his fifth game of the tournament with at least 30 points scored. Dončić also had 10 rebounds and seven assists.
Wagner was 13 of 14 from the free-throw line for Germany, seeking its second European Championship title after winning as host in 1993.
Slovenia looked in control until Tristan Da Silva sank a 3-pointer with a halfcourt shot at the third-quarter buzzer, slashing Slovenia’s lead to four points.
The final is on Sunday in Riga, Latvia, which has hosted all the knockout matches.
Finland holds off Georgia
Earlier, the Finns held off a Georgia fightback to win 93-79 and reach the semifinals for the first time.
Mikael Jantunen led Finland with 19 points and Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen contributed 17 points and six rebounds.
“It’s been the same group for a long time. It’s a very tight group, like coming back and playing with your friends,” Jantunen said. “That’s the kind of basketball culture in Finland.”
The Finns also showcased their depth by scoring 44 points from the bench to Georgia’s four.
Finland led by 20 points in the third quarter before Georgia cut the deficit to six with just under eight minutes left in the fourth.
Toronto Raptors forward Sandro Mamukelashvili led Georgia with 22 points.
Coming off an upset of Nikola Jokic and Serbia, Finland surged into an early lead on strong three-point shooting and doubled up Georgia 30-15 early in the second quarter.
Highly-rated 18-year-old forward Miikka Muurinen, who is projected to be a potential NBA first-round pick in 2027, scored 7 points off the bench.
It was the first time in the quarterfinals as an independent nation for Georgia, which knocked out Olympic silver medalist France in the round of 16 and beat defending EuroBasket champion Spain in the group stage.
Greece faces Turkiye in the other semifinal
In Friday’s other semifinal, it’s Greece against Turkiye. Both teams had advanced on Tuesday.
Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 29 points in Greece’s 87-76 win over Lithuania. Alperen Sengun’s triple-double helped unbeaten Turkiye to a 91-77 win over Poland.
Germany rallies to beat Doncic’s Slovenia 99-91 and set up EuroBasket semifinal with Finland
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Germany rallies to beat Doncic’s Slovenia 99-91 and set up EuroBasket semifinal with Finland
- Germany guard Andreas Obst’s 3-pointer capped a 12-0 run to put the World Cup champions ahead 77-74 early in the fourth quarter
‘Believing’ Alcaraz outlasts Zverev in epic to reach maiden Melbourne final
- World number one outlasts German third seed over a titanic match over five hours in hot conditions
- Should he snap the drought he would be the youngest man in the Open era to win all four majors
MELBOURNE: An ailing Carlos Alcaraz said “believing” helped him pull through one of the most demanding matches of his career to down Alexander Zverev in five epic sets and reach his first Australian Open final Friday.
The world number one outlasted the German third seed 6-4, 7-6 (7/5), 6-7 (3/7), 6-7 (4/7), 7-5 over a titanic 5hrs 27 mins in hot conditions and will play either Jannik Sinner or Novak Djokovic in Sunday’s title match in Melbourne.
The Spaniard only narrowly avoided crashing out after a huge fright at 4-4 in the third set when he pulled up in pain with what appeared to be cramp.
He was allowed to have treatment at the changeover, leaving Zverev furious and angrily remonstrating with officials.
Medical timeouts are not permitted solely for muscle cramping.
Alcaraz continued but his movement was hampered and he lost his first set of the tournament, before the pickle juice kicked in and he fought on.
Despite not being at 100 percent the 22-year-old somehow found a way to claw back from a break down in the fifth set as the crowd roared him on.
Germany’s Zverev was left shattered in his latest failed bid to win a major.
“Believing all the time,” Alcaraz, into his eighth major final and fourth in a row, said of how he pulled through.
“I always say that you have to believe in yourself no matter what, no matter what struggles you’ve been through, you’ve gotta still believe in yourself all the time.
“I was struggling in the middle of the third set,” he added. “Basically it was one of the most demanding matches that I have ever played in my short career.
“But I’ve been in these kinds of situations, these kinds of matches before.
“I had to put my heart into the match. I fought until the last ball.”
Alcaraz has won two French Opens, two US Opens and twice at Wimbledon, but success on the blue Melbourne Park hard courts has eluded him in four previous campaigns.
Should he snap the drought he would be the youngest man in the Open era to win all four majors, surpassing compatriot and legend Rafael Nadal, who was 24 when he did so.
His efforts on Friday made him the youngest to reach the men’s singles final at all four Slams.
“I’m really happy to play my first final in Melbourne. It’s something I was pursuing a lot,” said Alcaraz, who collapsed to the court at the end.
“It’s been a great two weeks so far. My level is improving a lot.”
Ailing Alcaraz
The first set went with serve with few meaningful rallies, until Alcaraz unleashed a backhand winner at 3-3 to earn the first break point of the match.
Zverev held on but the Spaniard worked another break point on his next serve, with the German double-faulting as the pressure mounted.
Alcaraz served out for the set but the towering Zverev kept his cool and raised his level to earn his first break points of the match at 3-2 in the second set.
The top seed saved two but whipped a forehand long to slide 4-2 behind.
Alcaraz sensationally broke back as Zverev served at 5-3 and it went to a tiebreak, where the world number one prevailed with a scorching forehand.
Disaster struck in the third set when Alcaraz began limping badly.
He managed to hold for 5-4 but took a medical timeout, leaving Zverev fuming, before continuing to another tiebreak where the German made his move.
Despite the problems Alcaraz continued winning points and holding serve in set four as his movement improved, and another tiebreak beckoned with the third seed again coming out on top.
Zverev broke early in the fifth to move 2-0 ahead, but he folded when serving for the match and Alcaraz broke back for 5-5, and then again to seal the most dramatic of wins.
