Latvia edge past Slovenia in EuroBasket warm-up as Doncic shines early
RIGA, Latvia — Latvia claimed their first win in EuroBasket preparations with a 100-88 victory over a Slovenian side led by a red-hot Luka Doncic. Doncic scored 26 of his 26 first-half points in just 17 minutes on his return from a defeat to Lithuania but sat out most of the second half after an injury scare.
Highlights for Latvia came from Kristaps Porzingis, who finished with 20 points, six rebounds and two assists, and Davis Bertans, who knocked down four triples on his way to 16 points. Rihards Lomazs and Dairis Bertans added 12 apiece. Slovenia’s scorers were led by Doncic’s 26, while Gregor Hrovat contributed 15.
Latvia now heads to Athens for friendlies against Greece and Italy next week, while Slovenia host Great Britain in Ljubljana before finishing the preparation slate with a clash against Serbia in Belgrade.
Other EuroBasket prep results
– Serbia 91-81 Germany: Serbia remained perfect in preparation, extending their run to six straight wins. Nikola Jokic was held to one made field goal until the fourth quarter, but Nikola Jovic led the way with 22 points as four Serbia players reached double figures. For Germany, Franz Wagner led with 26.
– France 78-73 Spain: France completed a double over Spain, moving to 4-0 in warm-ups. Spain, the reigningEuroBasket champions, dropped to 1-3 as France prepare for a road test against Greece.
– Türkiye 79-65 Czechia: Türkiye bounced back to win comfortably in Munich, with Ercan Osmani scoring 13 and Cedi Osman adding 12. Alperen Sengun was unavailable for Türkiye, who now look ahead to games against Lithuania and Montenegro.
– Bosnia and Herzegovina 103-73 Great Britain: Nurkic starred with 24 points, seven rebounds and three assists as Bosnia and Herzegovina ran away with the victory. GB’s Myles Hesson and Amin Adamu each had 12 points as they slip to 0-3 in the build-up.
– Portugal 78-61 Sweden: Travante Williams led Portugal with 18 points, supported by Rafael Lisboa (14), Diogo Brito (13) and Neemias Queta (12). Sweden’s Pelle Larson was the top scorer with 17.
Prep standings note
Several nations used the window to build momentum. Serbia sit atop the prep table at 6-0, followed by Lithuania (5-0) and Italy and France (4-0 each). Latvia sit at 1-2, with Slovenia at 0-4, reflecting differing stages of their EuroBasket 2025 readiness.
What it means
– Latvia’s home crowd got a tangible confidence boost ahead of hosting duties in Riga, with a balanced scoring effort and strong contributions from Porzingis and Bertans. Doncic’s early burst shows Slovenia’s potential, but the injury concern will be watched closely.
– Serbia’s depth continues to stand out, even with Jokic limited in spots, signaling they’re building a versatile and reliable roster for the tournament.
– The spread of results across the weekend underlines how teams are prioritizing different preparation styles, from high-scoring showings to tighter defensive displays.
Summary
The EuroBasket warm-up window produced a mix of standout individual performances and team-oriented wins. Latvia’s 100-88 win over Slovenia highlighted a strong supporting cast around Kristaps Porzingis, while Serbia, France, Türkiye, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Portugal registered notable victories as teams sharpen for EuroBasket 2025. Expect more updates as teams finalize rosters and road-test combinations ahead of the tournament.
Optional add-on for publication
– Include a brief “watch list” for Latvia (Porzingis, Bertans, Lomazs) and Slovenia (Doncic, Hrovat) as they continue preparations.
– Suggest upcoming matches to follow, especially Latvia in Athens and Serbia’s continuing prep schedule, for readers planning to follow EuroBasket 2025 closely.