ALMERE (Netherlands) - Captain Dario Saric delivered another heroic performance, hitting a clutch three-pointer and free throws to put Croatia ahead for good against the Netherlands.
It raised one big question: Is this the best offensive team we've ever seen in the FIBA Basketball World Cup European Qualifiers?
Croatia won the game 101-99, improved to 7-1 in Group K, and improved on an already impressive achievement.
They had already become the first team in European Qualifiers history to score 100+ points in three consecutive games. Now, they've stretched that run to four, becoming the first team to do so across all regions.
It's easy to see how they are doing it: by going big.
Mario Hezonja has been sensational throughout the Qualifiers, arguably establishing himself as the competition's MVP so far with four 20+ point games and the first-ever triple-double in European Qualifiers history.
Ivica Zubac has been one of the most dominant centers in international basketball, recording three huge double-doubles in his four appearances in the campaign.
Luka Bozic has quietly scored in double figures six times, including 18 points in just 19 minutes against the Netherlands, showing why he was among the candidates for the MVP of the Season award in Spain's Liga Endesa.
And then, there's captain Saric.
His return to the national team has been a breath of fresh air. Saric finished with 24 points and 6 assists against Oranje, producing a series of clutch plays down the stretch and once again underlining just how formidable Croatia's frontcourt can be.
Croatia are averaging 101.1 points per game, by far the highest scoring mark we've seen in the European Qualifiers. Germany led all teams in the 2019 edition at 84.8 points per game, while Italy topped the charts in the 2023 Qualifiers at 88.1.
World Cup Qualifiers edition | Team | Points per game |
|---|---|---|
2027 | Croatia | 101.1 |
2027 | Poland | 96.0 |
2027 | Germany | 93.3 |
2027 | Türkiye | 89.3 |
2027 | Serbia | 88.7 |
Incredibly, neither 2019 Germany nor 2023 Italy would make the top five in 2027, as Croatia, Poland, Germany, Türkiye and Serbia all average 88.7 or better in this ongoing qualification process.
However, Croatia aren't leading the points per game numbers across all regions, as Australia's and Canada's current campaigns are just a breeze away.
World Cup Qualifiers edition | Team | Points per game |
|---|---|---|
2027 | Australia | 101.8 |
2027 | Canada | 101.4 |
2027 | Croatia | 101.1 |
2027 | United States | 98.9 |
2023 | Canada | 97.7 |
FIBA