SPORT

BRAVO, YOUNG EAGLES! Serbian Youth Basketballers in EuroBasket Quarterfinals, Spain Next Hurdle on the Road to Medals!

by Serbian Times16. July 2025.16. July 2025.

Serbia’s young basketball players have secured a spot in the EuroBasket U20 quarterfinals! Today, in Heraklion, they managed to overcome Ukraine in an exceptionally tough match, setting up a classic showdown with Spain for a place among the top four teams on the Old Continent – 75:61!

Unlike the group stage, where everything went smoothly against Iceland, Slovenia, and France, it turned out that the Ukrainians were actually the toughest opponent for our Young Eagles. At one point in the third quarter, they even managed to get dangerously close with a scoring run, but Marko Marinović’s team survived the surge and then triumphed.

Key Performances and Game Flow

Serbia’s inside game was once again very important in this match, with Lazar Gačić and Viktor Mikić, along with Pavle Nikolić, again in the spotlight. However, the quick hands of Andrej Mušicki must also be highlighted, as his steals and fast points and assists prevented Ukraine from potentially gaining more momentum. The point guard from Šabac had an impressive seven steals and seven assists today!

The first quarter started quite well, as Serbia managed to go on a run and, after points from Mušicki, reached an 11:2 lead. However, a slight dip in play followed, allowing the Ukrainians to close within a possession. The Young Eagles raised their game level by the end of the quarter, holding a +5 lead (18:13) after the first period.

Battle Continues in Second Half

A big battle continued in the second quarter. Serbia consistently maintained around a ten-point lead but couldn’t quite break away from their opponent. This continued until halftime, with the Young Eagles holding a precisely 10-point advantage – 38:28.

The second half was even more nerve-wracking for Marinović’s squad. Little by little, Ukraine began to chip away at Serbia’s lead, even closing to within four points. However, timely points from Nikolić, and then Gačić at the very end, allowed us to breathe easier before the finish, as a ten-point lead remained – 58:48.

Serbia opened the final quarter brilliantly. The Young Eagles quickly extended their lead to 16 points with about six minutes remaining, making it clear that the rest of the game would be a formality.