BERLIN (Germany) - The opening Quarter-Final encounter at FIBA EuroBasket 2022 pits two sides with contrasting histories in the tournament against each other.

Three-time winners Spain have guaranteed a top-eight finish for a record streak of 21 consecutive EuroBasket tournaments, while Finland have made it this far in the competition for the first time since the 1967 edition.

This is a different Spain, however, but they still found a way to make it through a Round of 16 epic against Lithuania with a 102-94 success. Finland overcame Croatia thanks in large to a stunning 43 points from Lauri Markkanen to highlight the 94-86 triumph.

Spain v Finland - Tuesday, 17:15 CET

Key Matchup: How can Spain stop Markkanen? Their smaller lineup has proved effective at times during the tournament, while Usman Garuba was trusted defensively in crucial moments against Lithuania. Markkanen was too much of a force for Croatia with 19 made field goals through a variety of different ways and his impact could decide the fate of the game.

X-Factor: Lorenzo Brown had his best game in his short national team career for Spain in the win over Lithuania and really dictated the play with an aggressive approach in the fourth quarter and overtime. Meanwhile, overcompensate for Markkanen and you will be punished by Sasu Salin with the sharpshooter leading the tournament with a total of 20 three-pointers.

Stats Don't Lie: Spain have kept care of the ball better than any other team in the tournament with just 8.5 turnovers per game, while Finland have committed the eighth highest amount at 12.7. However, Spain are only shooting at 32 percent from beyond the arc and Finland are averaging 13.2 makes per game. 

They Said:
"We’re excited for the next matchup. We know they are a great basketball team. They have made it [to this stage] a lot of times before. And we are going somewhere no one on our team has been before. The team is really motivated, we’re not done yet. We're looking forward to playing our best basketball of the summer." - Lauri Markkanen, Finland

"I respect Spain as a team, as we all do, because of the last years and their history. I think both teams are similar in having veteran players and the new generation taking over. We are going to try to play our basketball as best as we can, and that's the only way to beat Spain." - Finland coach Lassi Tuovi

"We are not going out without a fight. It's overwhelming about the confidence these guys have in me. I'm learning every single day, and it’s amazing how the team has treated me." - Lorenzo Brown, Spain

"We made it, so surprisingly to the Quarter-Finals - we are one of the top eight teams of this unbelievably high level Championship. We will try to give us another shot, why not. You have to give credit to the heart of our guys. Nine players that have never played at EuroBasket before. They never give in and keep the faith." - Spain coach Sergio Scariolo

FIBA