Slovenia Beats France to Reach U20 EuroBasket Final on Home Soil
Slovenia’s U20 basketball team defeated France 91-89 in the semifinals of the European Championship, setting up a final against Serbia.
Slovenia Edges Out Favorites
Slovenia’s U20 national basketball team advanced to the final of the European Under-20 Championship for the fifth time, beating France 91-89 in the semifinals. The hosts, considered underdogs against the tournament favorites, will face Serbia, who defeated Spain 72-65 in the other semifinal.
Game Flow
Slovenia led 52-44 at halftime, but France took control in the third quarter, going up 67-62. In the fourth quarter, France extended the lead to 82-75, but Slovenia responded with a 13-0 run. Filip Petkovski made two free throws with seconds left to seal the win.
Key Performers
For Slovenia, point guard Mark Padjen scored 25 points (4/7 from three), dished six assists, and posted a +17 plus-minus in 25 minutes. France’s Maidie Douglas led all scorers with 32 points (9/10 two-pointers) in 26 minutes.
Road to the Final
Slovenia had a smooth path to the semifinals, defeating Czech Republic, Israel, Romania, Belgium, and Turkey. France struggled in the knockout stage, needing a fourth-quarter comeback against Poland and an overtime victory over Croatia.
Serbia dominated the group stage against Poland (84-67), Lithuania (79-57), and Latvia (89-66). In the playoffs, they routed Italy (86-63) and Greece (92-66). Against Spain, Serbia built a 30-11 lead after a 23-4 run and held on for the win. Andrej Lucić (20 points) and Mitar Bošnjaković (17 points) led Serbia, while Iker Garmendia scored 16 for Spain.
History
Slovenia has won the U20 title twice (2000, 2004) and finished as runner-up in 1998 and 2024. Serbia (including with Montenegro) has won the gold in all five final appearances: 1998, 2006, 2007, 2008, and 2015.
The final is scheduled for 20:00 CET.
