- Germany defeated Turkey 88-83 in the final in Riga, Latvia, to win the FIBA EuroBasket 2025 championship.
- This is Germany’s second ever EuroBasket title (the first being in 1993), ending a 32-year drought.
- They remain unbeaten throughout the tournament.
Key Players & Performances
- Dennis Schröder was named MVP. He posted a final line of ~16 points and 12 assists, including the game’s final bucket and clutch free throws in the last ~90 seconds.
- Isaac Bonga played a big role, especially in the final. He scored 20 points, including some crucial offense in the fourth quarter, defensive plays, and pulled down a key offensive rebound in the last 30 seconds. He was also named “TCL Player of the Game.” FIBA Basketball+2FIBA Basketball+2
The Game Flow / Turning Points
- The final was tightly contested, with multiple lead changes (~15) and tied scores (~11 times).
- Turkey led by ~6 at halftime, but Germany came out strong in the second half to close the gap.
- Late in the 4th quarter, Turkey’s center Alperen Şengün picked up his fourth foul with under four minutes remaining, which proved costly. On the next possession, Germany’s Isaac Bonga grabbed an offensive rebound to give Germany the lead. Then Schröder added a driving layup and later a pull-up jumper with ~20 seconds left. After Turkey missed a 3-pointer to tie, Schröder was fouled and made two free throws to seal the win.
Other Medal Results
- In the bronze medal game, Greece beat Finland 92-89, in a close finish. Greece had a large lead (~15 points) but Finland rallied late. Giannis Antetokounmpo led Greece with ~30 points, 17 rebounds, 6 assists.
- Finland’s run to the semis and their overall performance was historic, as they co-hosted and made the semis for the first time. Reuters+1
Awards & All-Tournament Team
- MVP: Dennis Schröder. FIBA Basketball+2FIBA Basketball+2
- All-Star Five (All-Tournament team): Schröder (Germany), Franz Wagner (Germany), Alperen Şengün (Turkey), Giannis Antetokounmpo (Greece), Luka Dončić (Slovenia).
🏀 NBA & Rules / Structural News
“Heave Rule” / End-of-Quarter Heaves Change
- The NBA has approved a new rule for the 2025-26 season concerning how long-distance heaves (last <3 seconds of the first three quarters) are recorded, specifically when the shot is from at least ~36 feet and the play starts in the backcourt.
- Under the new rule: missed “heave” shots in those situations will be recorded as team field goal attempts, not as individual player misses. This means the individual player’s shooting percentage won’t be negatively impacted by such low-probability shots. Successful heaves still count as a made shot for the individual.
Motivation & Expected Impact
- Many players have been reluctant to attempt end-of-quarter heaves (very long, difficult shots) because a miss hurts their field goal percentage, which can affect contracts, stats, reputation. The change is intended to encourage more such attempts, making games possibly more exciting in the closing seconds of quarters.
- The rule was already tested during Summer League and in G-League / exhibition settings (Vegas, Utah, California) to study its effects before implementation.
Controversy / Criticism
- Some basketball figures are critical. E.g., Richard Jefferson has called the rule “cowardly,” arguing that it shields players from accountability (i.e. letting them avoid negative stats while benefiting from the positives).
