Serbia has been crowned champions of the FIBA U16 EuroBasket, clinching a dramatic come-from-behind victory against Lithuania in a thrilling final held in Tbilisi. Meanwhile, Slovenia secured the bronze medal by defeating Italy in a closely contested third-place playoff.
Serbia’s Triumph
Serbia mounted an impressive comeback to defeat Lithuania 99-86 in the final. After trailing by as many as 12 points, Serbia staged a remarkable second-half surge, taking their first lead late in the third quarter. A dominant 32-15 run in the third period shifted the momentum decisively in Serbia’s favor. Petar Bjelica was instrumental for the champions, scoring 25 points and grabbing 9 rebounds, supported by Ognjen Simjanovski’s 22 points and Nikola Kusturica’s double-double of 18 points and 14 rebounds. For Lithuania, Gabrielius Buivydas was the top scorer with 26 points.
Slovenia Claims Third Place
Slovenia secured the final podium spot with a hard-fought 79-71 victory over Italy. The game remained tight throughout, but an 8-2 run in the closing stages of the fourth quarter proved decisive for the Slovenians. Lun Jarc led Slovenia’s charge with an outstanding performance, tallying 27 points on 9-of-11 shooting, along with 5 rebounds and 6 assists. Simone Ventura was Italy’s leading scorer with 15 points.
World Cup Qualification and Relegation
Serbia, Lithuania, Slovenia, Italy, and France have all earned berths in the FIBA U17 Basketball World Cup next year, based on their top-five finishes. Estonia, Switzerland, and Finland have been relegated to Division B.
Other Notable Performances
- Eilon Sokolovski of Israel delivered a tournament-best performance with 32 points, 9 rebounds, and 2 steals in a 91-70 win against Estonia, securing his nation’s Division A status.
- Messi Yangala recorded a double-double with 22 points and 10 rebounds for France in their 90-66 victory over Latvia, clinching fifth place.
- Nikola Kusturica of Serbia was named MVP, averaging 18 points, 14 rebounds, and 8 assists in the final.
- Omer Kutsulay of Türkiye scored 31 points in his team’s 89-74 win against Spain for seventh place.
Final Standings and Results
Final: Serbia 99-86 Lithuania
Third Place: Slovenia 79-71 Italy
Fifth Place: France 90-66 Latvia
Seventh Place: Türkiye 89-74 Spain
