Lauri Markkanen scored 17 points and blocked four shots as Finland defeated Georgia 93-79 on Wednesday to reach the EuroBasket semi-finals for the first time in their history.
The Finns will face Germany on Friday after the Germans staged a late surge to beat Slovenia 99-91 with a blistering fourth-quarter display. Old rivals Turkey and Greece will contest the other semi-final.
Better known for their ice hockey pedigree, the Finns stunned favourites Serbia in the round of 16 and carried that momentum into Wednesday’s clash. Though they controlled much of the game, they were forced to weather a spirited third-quarter comeback from Georgia before pulling away again.
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Markkanen made crucial plays at both ends, while Mikael Jantunen top-scored with 19 points, including three of seven attempts from beyond the arc. Finland’s bench also contributed an impressive 44 points.
“It was a pretty typical performance for us we take the lead, then it gets exciting and we end up winning at the end,” Markkanen said with understatement.
“Our play was a bit up and down at the beginning of the tournament, but now we have improved with every match. The most important thing is that we keep progressing,” Jantunen added.
