BELGRADE (Serbia) - Serbia needed longer than many expected but eventually pulled away from Finland for a 77-61 victory in their FIBA EuroBasket 2025 Qualifiers opener thanks to a big second half run.

Luka Mitrovic scored 19 points and Aleksa Avramovic added 18 points as the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 runners-up started Group G with home win over one of the 2025 co-hosts.

Turning Point: Finland had just reeled off nine straight points to take a 48-39 lead late in the third quarter. Serbia answered with a 28-3 run spanning the final two quarters for a 67-51 cushion to decide the game.

Game Hero: Aleksa Avramovic not only scored 18 points but he also grabbed 3 rebounds and had 4 steals for the winners. The Serbian guard registered an efficiency of 17 but his +/- was a team-high 31.

Stats Don't Lie: Serbia dominated the board 42-29 including 16 offensive rebounds to 6 for the guests, which led to a 17-4 advantage on second chance points. Serbia also held Finland to just 23 percent on three-pointers.

Bottom Line:  Serbia can breathe a sigh of relief after the comeback win as they play at Georgia on Monday, February 26 against a team that lost on Gameday 1. Finland for their part will host Denmark on the same day - the Danes having beaten Georgia.

They Said:

FIBA