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Slovenia Beats Serbia To Win First EuroBasket Championship


Slovenia celebrates its victory over Serbia to win the Eurobasket title in Istanbul on September 17.
Slovenia celebrates its victory over Serbia to win the Eurobasket title in Istanbul on September 17.

Slovenia, led by Goran Dragic, defeated Serbia to win its first-ever EuroBasket championship.

Slovenia scored the 93-85 victory on September 17 in Istanbul after traditional basketball powerhouse Serbia had taken a 22-20 lead at the end of the first quarter.

Dragic, who plays in the NBA for the Miami Heat, took charge in the second period and went on to finish the game with 35 points, seven rebounds, and three assists.

Bogdan Bogdanovic scored 22 points for Serbia.

Slovenia defeated Poland, Finland, Greece, Iceland, France, Ukraine, Latvia, and Spain before reaching the finals.

Serbia beat Latvia, lost to Russia, then beat Turkey, Britain, Belgium, Hungary, Italy, and Russia before the final match.

Serbia has lost several important title matches in recent years, including the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup and the 2016 Olympics.

Spain defeated Russia 85-93 in the third-place match.

Based on reporting by AP and dpa

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