Skip to Content Facebook Feature Image

Giannis helps Greece eliminate defending champion Spain at EuroBasket

Sport

Giannis helps Greece eliminate defending champion Spain at EuroBasket
Sport

Sport

Giannis helps Greece eliminate defending champion Spain at EuroBasket

2025-09-05 05:58 Last Updated At:06:01

LIMASSOL, Cyprus (AP) — Defending champion Spain was eliminated from EuroBasket in the group stage when it lost 90-86 to Greece, which was led by Giannis Antetokounmpo's 25 points and 14 rebounds Thursday.

Tyler Dorsey chipped in with 22 points as Greece advanced to the round of 16 atop Group C. It will face Israel on Sunday for a spot in the quarterfinals.

More Images
Greece's Giannis Antetokounmpo during the Eurobasket, European Basketball Championship Group C match between Spain and Greece at Spyros Kyprianou Arena, in Limassol, Cyprus, Thursday, Sept. 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Sakis Savvides)

Greece's Giannis Antetokounmpo during the Eurobasket, European Basketball Championship Group C match between Spain and Greece at Spyros Kyprianou Arena, in Limassol, Cyprus, Thursday, Sept. 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Sakis Savvides)

Greece's Giannis Antetokounmpo drives the ball during the Eurobasket, European Basketball Championship Group C match between Spain and Greece at Spyros Kyprianou Arena, in Limassol, Cyprus, Thursday, Sept. 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Sakis Savvides)

Greece's Giannis Antetokounmpo drives the ball during the Eurobasket, European Basketball Championship Group C match between Spain and Greece at Spyros Kyprianou Arena, in Limassol, Cyprus, Thursday, Sept. 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Sakis Savvides)

Greece's Giannis Antetokounmpo dunks the ball during the Eurobasket, European Basketball Championship Group C match between Spain and Greece at Spyros Kyprianou Arena, in Limassol, Cyprus, Thursday, Sept. 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Sakis Savvides)

Greece's Giannis Antetokounmpo dunks the ball during the Eurobasket, European Basketball Championship Group C match between Spain and Greece at Spyros Kyprianou Arena, in Limassol, Cyprus, Thursday, Sept. 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Sakis Savvides)

Greece's Giannis Antetokounmpo drives the ball during the Eurobasket, European Basketball Championship Group C match between Spain and Greece at Spyros Kyprianou Arena, in Limassol, Cyprus, Thursday, Sept. 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Sakis Savvides)

Greece's Giannis Antetokounmpo drives the ball during the Eurobasket, European Basketball Championship Group C match between Spain and Greece at Spyros Kyprianou Arena, in Limassol, Cyprus, Thursday, Sept. 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Sakis Savvides)

Bosnia's Jusuf Nurkic goes to score as Georgia's Goga Bitadze defends during the Eurobasket, European Basketball Championship Group C match between Bosnia and Georgia at Spyros Kyprianou Arena, in Limassol, Cyprus, Thursday, Sept. 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Sakis Savvides)

Bosnia's Jusuf Nurkic goes to score as Georgia's Goga Bitadze defends during the Eurobasket, European Basketball Championship Group C match between Bosnia and Georgia at Spyros Kyprianou Arena, in Limassol, Cyprus, Thursday, Sept. 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Sakis Savvides)

Bosnia's coach Aziz Bekir, right, reacts as Georgia's Kakhaber Jintcharadze shots during the Eurobasket, European Basketball Championship Group C match between Bosnia and Georgia at Spyros Kyprianou Arena, in Limassol, Cyprus, Thursday, Sept. 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Sakis Savvides)

Bosnia's coach Aziz Bekir, right, reacts as Georgia's Kakhaber Jintcharadze shots during the Eurobasket, European Basketball Championship Group C match between Bosnia and Georgia at Spyros Kyprianou Arena, in Limassol, Cyprus, Thursday, Sept. 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Sakis Savvides)

Bosnia's Jusuf Nurkic reacts during the Eurobasket, European Basketball Championship Group C match between Bosnia and Georgia at Spyros Kyprianou Arena, in Limassol, Cyprus, Thursday, Sept. 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Sakis Savvides)

Bosnia's Jusuf Nurkic reacts during the Eurobasket, European Basketball Championship Group C match between Bosnia and Georgia at Spyros Kyprianou Arena, in Limassol, Cyprus, Thursday, Sept. 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Sakis Savvides)

Spain entered the final group game with a 2-2 record, including a loss to Georgia in their opener that cost them a tiebreaker and left them in a must-win scenario. The Greeks had already qualified after winning three of their first four games.

Spain trailed 50-35 at halftime but rallied and twice took the lead in the fourth quarter before Kostas Sloukas made a layup and a pair of free throws in the final minute to seal the win.

Jaime Pradilla scored 14 points and Mario Saint-Supery added 13 for Spain, which had beaten France in the 2022 final.

In other late action Thursday, Belgium defeated already qualified Poland 70-69.

Utah Jazz center Jusuf Nurkić scored 15 points as Bosnia and Herzegovina beat Group C rival Georgia 84-76 to reach the knockout stage.

Bosnia and Herzegovina will play Poland on Sunday in the last 16.

Georgia trailed by 12 points at halftime but pulled even at 71-71 with just over seven minutes left in the fourth quarter in the Cypriot city of Limassol.

Nurkić stopped Georgia's momentum with a hook shot to spark a nine-point run. The Georgians ran out of gas and its bench mustered just four points in the game.

Nurkić also had a game-high 12 rebounds for his third straight double-double of the tournament.

Toronto Raptors forward Alexander Mamukelashvili led Georgia with 20 points and eight rebounds.

Despite the loss, Georgia advanced in fourth place thanks to Spain's defeat. Georgia will face France on Sunday.

Already-qualified Italy crushed rock-bottom Cyprus 89-54 in the group's other game.

The Italians will play Slovenia on Sunday.

In remaining Group D play, Zaccharie Risacher led with 15 points as France routed Iceland 114-74 in Katowice, Poland.

Risacher, the No. 1 NBA draft pick last year, made three of five three-point attempts and had seven rebounds. France spread the scoring around with seven other players in double digits, and a strong bench contributed 66 points overall.

The Olympic silver medalist advanced atop Group D.

Luka Dončić starred with 37 points as Slovenia beat Israel 106-96 for a third straight win in Group D.

The Los Angeles Lakers star added 11 rebounds, nine assists and three steals — along with seven turnovers. The crowd in Katowice chanted “MVP, MVP” when he came off near the end.

Portland Trail Blazers forward Deni Avdija led Israel with 34 points and nine rebounds.

Both teams had already qualified for the knockout phase in Riga, Latvia, which starts on Saturday.

Saturday's round-of-16 matchups: Turkey vs. Sweden; Germany vs. Portugal; Lithuania vs. Latvia; and Serbia vs. Finland.

AP sports: https://apnews.com/hub/sports

Greece's Giannis Antetokounmpo during the Eurobasket, European Basketball Championship Group C match between Spain and Greece at Spyros Kyprianou Arena, in Limassol, Cyprus, Thursday, Sept. 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Sakis Savvides)

Greece's Giannis Antetokounmpo during the Eurobasket, European Basketball Championship Group C match between Spain and Greece at Spyros Kyprianou Arena, in Limassol, Cyprus, Thursday, Sept. 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Sakis Savvides)

Greece's Giannis Antetokounmpo drives the ball during the Eurobasket, European Basketball Championship Group C match between Spain and Greece at Spyros Kyprianou Arena, in Limassol, Cyprus, Thursday, Sept. 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Sakis Savvides)

Greece's Giannis Antetokounmpo drives the ball during the Eurobasket, European Basketball Championship Group C match between Spain and Greece at Spyros Kyprianou Arena, in Limassol, Cyprus, Thursday, Sept. 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Sakis Savvides)

Greece's Giannis Antetokounmpo dunks the ball during the Eurobasket, European Basketball Championship Group C match between Spain and Greece at Spyros Kyprianou Arena, in Limassol, Cyprus, Thursday, Sept. 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Sakis Savvides)

Greece's Giannis Antetokounmpo dunks the ball during the Eurobasket, European Basketball Championship Group C match between Spain and Greece at Spyros Kyprianou Arena, in Limassol, Cyprus, Thursday, Sept. 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Sakis Savvides)

Greece's Giannis Antetokounmpo drives the ball during the Eurobasket, European Basketball Championship Group C match between Spain and Greece at Spyros Kyprianou Arena, in Limassol, Cyprus, Thursday, Sept. 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Sakis Savvides)

Greece's Giannis Antetokounmpo drives the ball during the Eurobasket, European Basketball Championship Group C match between Spain and Greece at Spyros Kyprianou Arena, in Limassol, Cyprus, Thursday, Sept. 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Sakis Savvides)

Bosnia's Jusuf Nurkic goes to score as Georgia's Goga Bitadze defends during the Eurobasket, European Basketball Championship Group C match between Bosnia and Georgia at Spyros Kyprianou Arena, in Limassol, Cyprus, Thursday, Sept. 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Sakis Savvides)

Bosnia's Jusuf Nurkic goes to score as Georgia's Goga Bitadze defends during the Eurobasket, European Basketball Championship Group C match between Bosnia and Georgia at Spyros Kyprianou Arena, in Limassol, Cyprus, Thursday, Sept. 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Sakis Savvides)

Bosnia's coach Aziz Bekir, right, reacts as Georgia's Kakhaber Jintcharadze shots during the Eurobasket, European Basketball Championship Group C match between Bosnia and Georgia at Spyros Kyprianou Arena, in Limassol, Cyprus, Thursday, Sept. 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Sakis Savvides)

Bosnia's coach Aziz Bekir, right, reacts as Georgia's Kakhaber Jintcharadze shots during the Eurobasket, European Basketball Championship Group C match between Bosnia and Georgia at Spyros Kyprianou Arena, in Limassol, Cyprus, Thursday, Sept. 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Sakis Savvides)

Bosnia's Jusuf Nurkic reacts during the Eurobasket, European Basketball Championship Group C match between Bosnia and Georgia at Spyros Kyprianou Arena, in Limassol, Cyprus, Thursday, Sept. 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Sakis Savvides)

Bosnia's Jusuf Nurkic reacts during the Eurobasket, European Basketball Championship Group C match between Bosnia and Georgia at Spyros Kyprianou Arena, in Limassol, Cyprus, Thursday, Sept. 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Sakis Savvides)

KAMPALA, Uganda (AP) — Vote counting was underway Friday in Uganda’s tense presidential election, which was held a day earlier amid an internet shutdown, voting delays and complaints by an opposition leader who said some of his polling agents had been detained by the authorities.

Opposition leader Bobi Wine said Thursday he was unable to leave his house and that his polling agents in rural areas were abducted before voting started, undermining his efforts to prevent electoral offenses such as ballot stuffing.

Wine is hoping to end President Yoweri Museveni's four-decade rule in an election during which the military was deployed and heavy security was posted outside his house near Kampala, the Ugandan capital, after the vote.

The musician-turned-politician wrote on X on Thursday that a senior party official in charge of the western region had been arrested, adding there was “massive ballot stuffing everywhere.”

Rural Uganda, especially the western part of the country, is a ruling-party stronghold, and the opposition would be disadvantaged by not having polling agents present during vote counting.

To try to improve his chances of winning, Wine had urged his supporters to “protect the vote” by having witnesses document alleged offenses at polling stations, in addition to deploying official polling agents.

Wine faced similar setbacks when he first ran for president five years ago. Museveni took 58% of the vote, while Wine got 35%, according to official results. Wine said at the time that the election had been rigged in favor of Museveni, who has spoken disparagingly of his rival.

Museveni, after voting on Thursday, said the opposition had infiltrated the 2021 election and defended the use of biometric machines as a way of securing the vote in this election.

Museveni has served the third-longest tenure of any African leader and is seeking to extend his rule into a fifth decade. The aging president’s authority has become increasingly dependent on the military, which is led by his son, Muhoozi Kainerugaba.

Uganda has not witnessed a peaceful transfer of presidential power since independence from British colonial rule six decades ago.

Voters line up to cast their ballots at a polling station, during the presidential election, in the capital, Kampala, Uganda, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Brian Inganga)

Voters line up to cast their ballots at a polling station, during the presidential election, in the capital, Kampala, Uganda, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Brian Inganga)

Election officials count ballots after the polls closed for the presidential election at a polling station in Kampala, Uganda, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Brian Inganga)

Election officials count ballots after the polls closed for the presidential election at a polling station in Kampala, Uganda, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Brian Inganga)

An election official holds up unmarked ballots during the vote count after polls closed for the presidential election, at a polling center in Kampala, Uganda, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Brian Inganga)

An election official holds up unmarked ballots during the vote count after polls closed for the presidential election, at a polling center in Kampala, Uganda, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Brian Inganga)

A political representative speaks as he works to observe and verify the counting of ballots after polls closed in the presidential election at a polling station in Kampala, Uganda, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Brian Inganga)

A political representative speaks as he works to observe and verify the counting of ballots after polls closed in the presidential election at a polling station in Kampala, Uganda, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Brian Inganga)

A supporter of leading opposition candidate Bobi Wine cheers while watching election officials count ballots, after polls closed at a polling station in Kampala, Uganda, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Brian Inganga)

A supporter of leading opposition candidate Bobi Wine cheers while watching election officials count ballots, after polls closed at a polling station in Kampala, Uganda, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Brian Inganga)

Recommended Articles