Markkanen takeover: 43-point special sends Finland to the Quarter-Finals

BERLIN (Germany) - Lauri Markkanen delivered a 43-point masterpiece to lead Finland to the Quarter-Finals as they defeated Croatia 94-86 behind a strong finish.

It ends a 55-year wait for the Susijengi as they will compete in the last eight at EuroBasket for the first time since 1967 as they set a showdown with Spain.

Turning Point: When Ivan Ramljak knocked down a triple with just under five minutes remaining, the game was tied at 77-77. What followed was an 8-0 run with three different Finnish scorers not named Markkanen. as two big triples from Shawn Huff and Sasu Salin helped seize the initiative down the stretch.

TCL Player of the Game: Markkanen was unstoppable for Finland. 43 points to set a new national team record at a major event, eclipsing his previous best of 34 points against Czech Republic earlier in the tournament. An addition of 9 rebounds, 3 assists and 3 steals for good measure, too.

Stats Don't Lie: Croatia shot 53 percent from the floor, but had 21 fewer attempts than their opponents which was a notable difference. Markkanen was 17-of-23 from inside the arc, while Croatia were 20-of-31 as a team.

Bottom Line: Finland make the last eight at EuroBasket for the third time and will be full of confidence heading into their matchup with Spain with Markkanen continuing to reach new heights as part of a remarkable tournament. It was not to be for Croatia and their focus will soon return to the FIBA EuroBasket 2025 Pre-Qualifiers with their journey to the next edition already underway.

They Said:

"I just had one of those nights. I had the ball and it was just going in. It was a great win, I just tried to do what the team needed from me. We tried to have no lapses. We're just excited to be in the top eight." - Lauri Markkanen, Finland

"I'm very proud of the players, my staff. We have been working hard these last weeks. The players enjoy on the court and this is the reason maybe they didn't want to go home. They are a pleasure to watch. We are not celebrating and thinking about what it means, because we are not done." - Finland coach Lassi Tuovi

"It's tough whenever someone has 43 points. Seemed like he could make everything. Really tough matchup. We had a few slip ups at the end and they capitalized. Being a part of a tournament like this has been fun. It’s been a journey." - Jaleen Smith, Croatia

"It was difficult to stop [Markkanen]. He got into the game with some easy points, after that it was impossible. He was on fire. A lack of concentration gave them some threes at the end. Salin was having a great game also. We couldn't play the defense that we wanted. Congratulations to Finland. For us, disappointment.” - Croatia coach Damir Mualomerovic

FIBA