RIGA (Latvia) - The charter flight from Tampere arrived in Riga. While everybody expected Germany, Lithuania and Finland to pick up their boarding passes, the fourth traveler from Group B was a surprising one.
"It's been a long road, but we're super happy, super excited now," Pelle Larsson said after helping Sweden reach a spot among the sweet 16 of FIBA EuroBasket 2025 - reaching the knockout stages for the first time.
"Everyone has worked hard to get here. It's a great feeling."
They haven't been among the top 16 teams since 2013. But back then, it was a different kind of system, and actually finishing 13th meant they were just beneath the line for the Second Round of the competition.
Back then, they also had a 1-4 record through five games, defeating Russia 81-62 for a historic win.
You have to go back even further for the last time Sweden won multiple game at a EuroBasket, in 1955.
Viktor Gaddefors and Ludvig Hakanson are the returning members to the team 12 years on from that last win in 2013.
"This feeling is something that will stay with me forever, maybe more than in 2013. I don't know, maybe you need to ask me that again in a couple of days," Hakanson tried comparing the two Swedish wins.
This one over Great Britain in Tampere pushed Sweden to the Round of 16 where they'll take on Türkiye. While that seems like a difficult task, the players are not exactly talking about the Saturday matchup.
"If we can inspire the country, then that makes me super proud. We hope that this tournament makes people take notice that we are here on the big stage and we have the talent to succeed," Larsson, the nation's leading scorer with 19.8 points per game so far, offered.
The key word there: inspire. "It means a lot for us as a nation, and I hope this inspires more people back in Sweden," Hakanson also used it.
"Basketball is growing in Sweden and I think we are part of the grander scale of growth in international basketball period.
"You see with us, Portugal going through, Iceland playing well, Cyprus competing in EuroBasket, it's been amazing. And the fans back home, I hope will travel or support us at home," Gaddefors added.
Talking with the Swedish players was a bizarre occurrence. They were actually celebrating before even playing their last group game, against Lithuania.
That's because Great Britain had defeated Montenegro, and in a three-way tie, it meant Sweden would finish fourth in Group B, no matter how their last game finished.
"All I have to say is God save the King," Simon Birgander laughed.
"We were so happy with what GB did and for us, it's really good. I have no words. But once (Group Phase) is done, we must focus on the task at hand and see if we can make more noise in Riga," the big guy continued. "I don’t remember a lot about Sweden in the EuroBasket in 2013, as I was not playing basketball back then. I was a football guy. But I remember, there was a buzz back then, and I hope we can create a buzz in the next round. We have created history with our country and we want to keep going as far as we can."
Birgander will have the toughest possible assignment on Saturday, trying to stop Alperen Sengun and other Turkish big guys.
Sounds like a perfect opportunity to inspire some new Larssons, Hakansons, Gaddeforses and Birganders.
FIBA