Features 668
The Susijengi story has only just begun
Finland’s exit from EuroBasket 2022 on Tuesday was the end of an era for two stalwarts but, Emmet Ryan writes, the beginning of a bright new future for hoops in Suomi. There was a different flavour to the disappointment that Finnish fans felt on Tuesday, a taste that they weren’t used to but one that […]
Germany demolish Greece in Berlin
Greece had so much going for them. A 60 point first half outing, something no team had ever managed to do and gone on to lose. An enormous travelling support in the stands. Oh, and a two time NBA MVP in Giannis Antetokounmpo. None of it mattered as a barrage of three from a fired […]
You can never count out Sergio Scariolo
Finland set all kinds of first half records against Spain but if you’re going to beat Sergio Scariolo, you need to outsmart him for the full 40. Emmet Ryan watched another brilliant sideline performance from the Spain coach as his side reached the semi-finals for the 11th straight time For Finland it was the biggest […]
The dream isn’t done
Finland have been nearly men of European basketball for decades. Now that they’ve made the breakthrough, they can’t let the emotion of the moment distract them against Spain, writes Emmet Ryan. As is the norm at EuroBasket, I posted some videos after Finland’s remarkable victory over Croatia to make the quarter finals of EuroBasket for […]
Giannis finds a way
Giannis Antetkounmpo showed his grit as he fought through incessant D from a battling Czech Republic side to finally guide Greece to the quarter finals At halftime every Greek journalist was either dead silent or nervously muttering. Everyone knew this wouldn’t be a pushover but the same group that had been chatty throughout the group […]
Anatomy of a collapse
Somehow Serbia managed to waste every positive contribution by two time NBA MVP Nikola Jokic to fall to a stunning upset at the hands of Italy in the round of 16 at EuroBasket With 6.19 left on the clock, Nikola Jokic sat by the scorer’s table waiting to come in as his Serbia side trailed […]
Slaughter and Ponitka send Poland to first EuroBasket quarter final since 1997
A pair of tremendous outings from Mateusz Ponitka and AJ Slaughter sent Poland to the quarter finals of EuroBasket for the first time since 1997 as they overcame a brave outing from Issuf Sanon and Ukraine. Ukraine had a problem and it hailed from Louisville, Kentucky. AJ Slaughter, Poland’s naturalised player, was off to an […]
Scariolo pulls off a masterstroke
In arguably his best single game performance as a head coach, Sergio Scariolo overcame the odds and showed that, with him on the bench, it’s a fool that counts Spain out as his side overcame Lithuania in an overtime thriller. It has been a long time since Lithuania beat Spain in a game that really […]
Maodo Lo shows his value even when the stat sheet doesn’t
As Germany made surprisingly hard work of an unimpressive Montenegro team to punch their ticket to the quarter final, Emmet Ryan was mesmerised by one man who often goes unnoticed. Maodo Lo might well be the key to any success Germany hopes to have at this tournament. Maodo Lo is not Germany’s most famous player, […]
Great Britain needs a factory reset
No prep games, barely any prep time, and no broadcast coverage back home. That was before the games, EuroBasket 2022 has only gotten worse for the Great Britain team since. Emmet Ryan on the sad state of the GB men’s national team Luke Nelson stopped in the mixed zone moments after yet another crushing defeat […]
Zubac on another level for Croatia
It all came so easy for Ivica Zubac against Great Britain, despite his team mates struggling against the underdogs in the first half, as the LA Clippers big man demonstrated why Croatia’s hopes ride and die with him at EuroBasket 2022 Zubac waited his turn patiently. Bojan Bogdanovic scored, so too Dario Saric, and Mario […]
Estonia prove an inspiration for small nations even in defeat to Italy
It was always expected to be Italy’s night in Milan but the travelling Estonian players and support showed that they’re an emerging presence in European basketball Three cheers for Estonia. Whatever else happens in this tournament, for a nation with such little recent pedigree at this stage of EuroBasket to come here and roar right […]