KATOWICE (Poland) - Belgium rallied in the final stretch to overcome the resistance of an Iceland side who held a 7-point lead midway through the fourth stanza, and clinched a hard-earned 71-64 win, their first in Group D action.
Iceland had led for nearly the entire game and the predominantly Icelandic 5,000-strong crowd in the Spodek Arena stands looked convinced going into the final minutes that they could make history as the smallest ever nation to win a game in a FIBA EuroBasket tournament.
Turning Point
After a balanced first half, Iceland looked in control with 5:02 remaining on the clock as Tryggvi Hlinason dunked with authority to extend their lead to 7 points, 62-55 and a party to erupt in the tribune, dominated by Icelandic fans.
It was time for the Belgian Lions to roar, as they fought back to erase the deficit and jumped ahead 65-62 on an Emmanuel Lecomte drive to the basket with 27 seconds left. The Belgian point guard kept his composure at the free-throw line to gift his team their first win at EuroBasket 2025.
TCL Player of the Game
Emmanuel Lecomte was the reason why Dario Gjergja's team found themselves in the leading position at the end of such a balanced encounter.
Despite a rough shooting night from the field (5-of-19), the Belgian guard still had clutch plays towards the end of the game. He finished with a team-high 16 points, 6 assists, and 4 rebounds.
Stats Don't Lie
It wasn't an easy game for Craig Pedersen's team from beyond the arc. Iceland shot 3-of-22 from the perimeter, but as expected, had way better efficiency from two-point range (20-of-37).
Belgium created their victory mainly on second-chance points, where they prevailed 20-4.
Bottom Line
Belgium seemed unable to contain Iceland's enthusiasm, taking into consideration the support from their fans. However, they found a solid victory, bouncing back to 1-1 in the Group D standings. They will face Slovenia on August 31.
Tryggvi Hlinason had another dominant performance, as he concluded with 20 points, 10 rebounds, 5 blocks, and 2 steals. He still wasn't enough to push his team to their first-ever EuroBasket win, as they remain winless at 0-2.
They Said
"It was a hard-fought game. We knew that Iceland would never give up. At the end of the game, it was close, we made some big shots, and that's how we were able to win the game." - Belgium's Hans Vanwijn.
"In the final minutes, we were missing shots and they were making them: that was the difference. Everyone came to support us. That's why it hurts too much not to come out with a win today, it's disappointing." - Iceland's Elvar Fridriksson.
For more quotes, tune in to the official post-game press conference!
FIBA