MIES (Switzerland) - There were many shocking results in the fourth window of the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2027 European Qualifiers, as the road to Qatar inches closer.
In the latest round of games, Portugal pulled off a major surprise in Zaragoza, which started Spain's horrific window, and Ukraine got a big lift by beating higher-ranked nations.
Here’s a look at the upsets, ranked by margin of victory and ranking differential according to the FIBA World Ranking Men, presented by NIKE.
# | Winning team | Losing team | Result | Differential |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | Portugal (45th) | Spain (6th) | -39 | |
2. | Ukraine (38th) | Greece (13th) | - 25 | |
3. | Sweden (40th) | Finland (17th) | -23 | |
4. | Croatia (34th) | Latvia (12th) | -22 | |
5. | Ukraine (38th) | Montenegro (18th) | -20 | |
6. | Bosnia and Herzegovina (33rd) | Italy (15th) | -18 | |
7. | Hungary (47th) | Estonia (36th) | -11 | |
8. | Greece (13th) | Spain (6th) | -7 | |
9. | Georgia (20th) | Montenegro (18th) | -2 | |
10. | Türkiye (11th) | Lithuania (10th) | -1 |
Spain (#6) 89-95 Portugal #45
Portugal upset Spain in Zaragoza: Portugal closed out a tightly contested game with four straight free throws in the final seconds to secure a 95-89 victory over Spain. Trevante Williams was Portugal’s standout, finishing with 22 points, 4 rebounds, and 2 assists, with Neemias Queta adding 16 points and 9 boards. Alvaro Cardenas paced Spain with 18.
Ukraine #38 82-76 Greece #13
Ukraine add to Greece's woes: Ukraine never trailed after the opening quarter en route to securing an 82-76 win over Greece. With 4:40 left in the first period, Maksym Shulga knocked down a three-pointer to flip a 12-11 deficit into a 14-12 Ukraine lead. That shot gave Ukraine control and never looked back. Oleksandr Kovliar anchored Ukraine’s backcourt with 18 points, 6 rebounds, and 4 assists. Nick Calathes led Greece with 17 points and 8 assists.
Finland #17 81-86 Sweden #40
Larsson masterclass overcomes Finland: Pelle Larsson erupted for 31 points as Sweden edged Finland 86-81 in a tightly contested game in Helsinki. They did have to fight for the win, though, with nine lead changes keeping the outcome in doubt until the final minutes. Ultimately, Sweden finished stronger down the stretch to seal the five-point result. Olivier Nkamhoua led Finland with 19 points.
Croatia #34 115-80 Latvia #12
Croatia outclass Latvia: Croatia led from start to finish, overpowering Latvia 115-80 in a game where their lead peaked at 38 points, shooting a sublime 66 per cent from the floor and never looking in any danger of surrendering their grip on proceedings. Mario Hezonja shot 8-for-13 from the field, as he led the way with 28 points and 7 assists for the winners. Rihards Lomazs had 23 for Latvia.
Montenegro #18 89-98 Ukraine #38
Ukraine cap off a perfect window with a win: Ukraine delivered a strong road performance to defeat Montenegro 98-89. Svi Mykhailiuk led the way for Ukraine with 23 points, 6 rebounds, and 4 assists in a game that they controlled from the midway point of the third quarter. Yogi Ferrell poured in 22 points for Montenegro.
Bosnia and Herzegovina #33 78-76 Italy #15
Bosnia and Herzegovina hang on in tense finale: Bosnia and Herzegovina claimed a narrow 78-76 victory over Italy as they built their lead before halftime and then withstood a late push to seal a dramatic home-court triumph. Jusuf Nurkic was the decisive force for the Bosnians, finishing with 25 points and 14 rebounds, with support from Kenan Kamenjas' 13 points and 8 rebounds. Nico Mannion finished with 14 points for Italy.
Hungary #47 85-67 Estonia #36
Hungary pull clear in the fourth to beat Estonia: Hungary delivered an 85-67 win over Estonia after seizing control by halftime and never looking back. The hosts put the game to bed with a 22-11 final period, cruising to the victory. Zoltan Perl stole the spotlight for Hungary, finishing with 22 points on 10-for-15 shooting and 5 rebounds. Kristian Kullamae had 26 points for Estonia.
Greece #13 108-106 Spain #6
Greece edge Spain in OT thriller: Greece claimed a dramatic 108-106 overtime win over Spain. Konstantinos Mitoglou delivered a monster performance for Greece, finishing with a national team best of 29 points along with 7 rebounds, as the hosts pulled off a much-needed win. Tyler Dorsey also had 29 points in the win, while for Spain, Aday Mara had 15 points and 13 rebounds.
FIBA