Luka Doncic Leads Slovenia to Quarter-Finals Victory Over Italy in EuroBasket 2025 Thriller

Dominant Performance Secures Slovenia’s Victory

In a thrilling EuroBasket 2025 Round of 16 match, Slovenia secured their place in the quarter-finals with an 84-77 victory over Italy, powered by Luka Doncic’s remarkable 42-point performance.

Early Dominance and Italian Resistance

Despite taking a hard fall just 36 seconds into the game, Doncic remained unfazed and led Slovenia to an impressive start, contributing 10 points in a 15-2 run that established a 15-4 advantage. The team eventually extended their lead to 19 points at 32-13.

Italy, known for their resilience after previously coming back from a 13-point deficit to defeat Spain in the group stage, mounted a strong comeback. They managed to reduce the gap to 45-38 and entered halftime trailing 50-40, before scoring the first four points of the second half to make it a six-point game.

Statistical Brilliance and Team Effort

Doncic’s efficiency was remarkable, as he converted five of his eleven 3-pointers, shot 11-of-19 from the field, and made 15 of his 16 free throws. Klemen Prepelic contributed 11 points, while Alen Omic added 7 points and 7 rebounds off the bench. For Italy, Simone Fontecchio led the scoring with 22 points. Slovenia dominated the rebounds 40 to 32, securing 15 offensive rebounds that resulted in 16 second-chance points.

Historic Achievement and Next Challenge

This performance marked Doncic’s fourth game with 30+ points at EuroBasket 2025, approaching Nikos Galis’s record of five such games in a single European tournament, set in 1989. Slovenia’s next challenge will be against one of the tournament’s strongest teams, Germany, who remain undefeated in the competition.