ESPOO (Finland) - Lauri Markkanen dropped 31 points as Finland dismissed Belgium 92-74 to seal their 500th international win emphatically.
Markkanen added 5 rebounds and 2 steals to his stat line to secure Finland's second win in preparation for FIBA EuroBasket 2025.
This game also held significant meaning for veteran Sasu Salin, as it marked the 15th anniversary of his debut with the Finland national team. He added 17 points in the same venue where he started his journey with the Susijengi.
Hans Vanwijn led Belgium with 15 points as they dropped their third game in preparation for EuroBasket, where they will be in Group D in Katowice, Poland.
Top performers: Markkanen was outstanding once again for Finland, dropping a whopping 31 points to back up to 48 against the same opponent in the last game. Salin brought up his 15th year with a stellar performance as well with 17. For Belgium, Vanwijn impressed with 15 points, going 5-for-13 from the floor, to go along with 5 rebounds and 4 assists.
Up next: Finland will head to Sosnowiec, where they play Poland on Sunday, August 17, in the first of two games. Belgium travels home next, as they play Great Britain in Ostend on Friday, August 15.
500 up for Finland
This latest victory also brought up the 500th win for Finland as they prepare for their 18th appearance at EuroBasket this summer.
From their humble beginnings in 1939 to now, Finland has grown into one of international basketball's most promising nations. A seventh-place finish at EuroBasket 2022, backed up by two appearances at the FIBA Basketball World Cup, has showcased their growth.
They aim to secure a best-ever finish this year, beginning in their own backyard in Tampere.
Milestone | Event | Game | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
1st international game | FIBA EuroBasket 1939 | Finland vs France | 73-11 (L) |
1st win | FIBA Basketball World Cup 1950 Qualifiers | Finland vs Austria | 38-34 (W) |
50th win | Friendly, January 15, 1961 | Sweden vs Finland | 54-46 (W) |
100th win | Friendly, April 8, 1966 | Finland vs Norway | 109-39 (W) |
200th win | Friendly, January 7, 1979 | Finland vs Bulgaria | 101-94 (W) |
300th win | FIBA EuroBasket 1993 Qualifiers | Finland vs Albania | 89-81 (W) |
400th win | Friendly, July 31, 2009 | Estonia vs Finland | 90-72 (W) |
500th win | Friendly, August 11, 2025 | Finland vs Belgium | 92-74 (W) |
FIBA