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LIMASSOL, Cyprus (AP) — American guard Jordan Loyd showcased his shooting prowess by nailing seven 3-pointers and totaling 32 points, propelling Poland to a 105-95 victory over Slovenia and NBA superstar Luka Doncic in their EuroBasket opener on Thursday.
Despite Loyd’s impressive performance, Doncic, who has shed some weight, responded with a remarkable game of his own, scoring 34 points and grabbing nine rebounds in the Group D clash held in Katowice, Poland. Poland held a narrow 47-46 lead at halftime and then outscored Slovenia 33-23 in the third quarter, seizing control of the match.
Meanwhile, fellow NBA athlete and Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo enjoyed a smoother game, contributing 31 points in 29 minutes as Greece triumphed over Italy with a score of 75-66 in Group C, also in Limassol, Cyprus. Greece showcased a strong shooting performance, hitting 62% of their shots from the floor and making seven 3-pointers during the contest.
In another Group C encounter, Toronto Raptors player Sandro Mamukelashvili led Georgia to a surprising 83-69 victory over the defending champions, Spain, with 19 points to his name.
Mamukelashvili also recorded seven rebounds and six assists as Georgia dominated the boards, out-rebounding Spain 46-29. Spain struggled with their shooting, converting only 6 of 13 from the free-throw line, yet managed to stay close at 61-58 in the fourth quarter—before Georgia surged ahead with an 11-2 run to secure the win.
The NBA duo from Georgia put up a strong fight against Spain, with Bitadze and Mamukelashvili combining for 34 points, 12 rebounds, and 9 assists on over 54% shooting, leading Georgia to their first victory in the tournament.
American guard Kamar Baldwin contributed 12 points for Georgia, hitting a crucial 3-pointer in the final moments.
Juancho Hernangómez was Spain’s leading scorer with 13 points in the Group C matchup at Spyros Kyprianou Arena.
“They deserved to win. They played significantly better and with more physicality than us,” Hernangómez remarked. “We performed poorly… so we need to improve for the next match.”
France, which is competing without Victor Wembanyama, handily defeated Belgium 92-64, showcasing a strong display from the rest of their NBA talent in Katowice, Poland.
Bilal Coulibaly of the Washington Wizards contributed 12 points and seven rebounds. NBA teammate Alex Sarr energized the crowd with a highlight reel dunk, made from a running, behind-the-back assist by Sylvain Francisco late in the first quarter.
“We needed to start strong as a team, and I think we accomplished that,” said French shooting guard Isaia Cordinier. “Every player adds value to the team… our threats come from all directions.”
In Katowice, Israel secured an 83-71 victory over Iceland, maintaining a lead throughout after a 10-0 run at the start. Roman Sorkin was outstanding for Israel, scoring 31 points in their Group D opener.
In another match, co-host Cyprus suffered a heavy defeat, losing 91-64 against Bosnia and Herzegovina.
