FRIBOURG (Switzerland) - Back in 2022, Aaron Gordon was in the stands to support Nikola Jokic at the FIBA EuroBasket in Prague, Czechia. Now, Jamal Murray made the travel to Fribourg to see his teammate in action with Serbia, too.
And the Canadian guard had plenty to see on the court, as Nikola Jokic eased away to 15 points and 10 rebounds across the first three quarters, paving the way to a 97-73 win, sending Serbia through to the Second Round, while also eliminating Switzerland from contention.
The center finished with 22 points, 14 rebounds and 7 assists, not turning the ball over at all, and getting a game-high in +/- with +20. Another game-high for him: efficiency rating of 35.
Jokic made his return to the Qualifiers for the first time since 2022, when he had helped Serbia reach the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023. It was also his first game under coach Dusan Alimpijevic, who took over the team after Svetislav Pesic last called the plays at FIBA EuroBasket 2025.
Every single Jokic touch of the ball drew "Oohs" and "Ahhs" from the crowd, with a strong Serbian presence felt in the stands of the BCF Arena, cheering the Denver Nuggets star with the usual "MVP! MVP!" chants.
However, Switzerland put up a massive effort to stay within single digits for three quarters, confirming that the thrilling first matchup between the two in Belgrade was no accident.
Serbia won that one by four points, meaning they would've advanced to the Second Round even with a three-point loss here. Knowing that all the results carry over to the Second Round, they went in for the win, Nikola Jovic joining Jokic at the top of the scoring list with 22 points.
Serbia could finish at 4-2, as they play host to Bosnia and Herzegovina in Belgrade on Monday.
FIBA