CHICAGO Bulls center Nikola Vucevic poured in 23 points, grabbed 15 rebounds, and handed out four assists to lead Montenegro to a much-needed 87-81 win over Sweden at EuroBasket on Monday (Tuesday, Sept. 2, 2025, PH time) in Tampere, Finland.
The victory kept Montenegro’s hopes alive of advancing to the round of 16.
Montenegro led 40-34 at halftime but faltered after the break, as Sweden bounced back with a 31-24 run in the third quarter to seize control.
Pelle Larsson carried the Swedes with 28 points, but Vucevic and company responded late. Kyle Allman delivered 10 points in less than two minutes, including a key basket that gave Montenegro an 80-77 lead with 1:50 left, sealing its first win in the group stage.
Montenegro (1-3) can qualify with a victory over winless Britain, considered the weakest team in Group B.
Serbia, meanwhile, remained unbeaten with an 82-60 victory over the Czech Republic, eliminating the winless Czechs from playoff contention.
A frontline of Nikola Jovic, Nikola Jokic, and Nikola Milutinov set the tone early, sparking a 27-5 first-quarter blitz. Milutinov finished with 12 points, seven rebounds, and two steals. The win also guaranteed host Latvia a place in the round of 16.
In the same group, Germany improved to 4-0 with a 120-57 rout of Britain. After a competitive opening stretch, the Germans broke the game wide open. Franz Wagner registered 18 points and 10 assists in just 18 minutes, while Tristan Da Silva added 25 points.
Turkey stays perfect
Already assured of progression, Turkey eased past Estonia, 84-64, in Riga.
Alperen Sengun starred again with 21 points, eight rebounds, and five assists as Turkey opened a double-digit lead after the first quarter and never looked back. It marked the first time since 2009 that Turkey secured four wins in a single EuroBasket.
Estonia fell to 1-3 ahead of its final group game against Portugal, while Turkey will face Serbia in a showdown for the Group A top spot.
In Riga, host nation Latvia thrilled its supporters by defeating Portugal, 78-62, behind a strong performance from Kristaps Porzingis.
The Boston Celtics big man paced the home side with 21 points, nine rebounds, and three assists, helping Latvia improve its record to 2-2 in the group stage.
Elsewhere, Lithuania secured a spot in the round of 16 after surviving a late rally from Finland to claim an 81-78 victory. Azuolas Tubelis contributed 12 points and 11 rebounds, while Rokas Jokubaitis added 16 points and nine assists before leaving the game injured in the final quarter.
Despite being limited to just seven points in the first half, Finland’s star forward Lauri Markkanen nearly brought the hosts back into the contest, finishing with 17 points, 11 rebounds, and six assists in a losing effort.
The group stage of the 24-team tournament is being contested in four host countries, with the top four from each group advancing to the knockout rounds in Riga, Latvia, from Sept. 6 to 14. / FROM THE WIRES