On September 9th, Beijing time, the EuroBasket men's competition enters the quarterfinals, featuring the initial clashes of Turkey vs Poland and Lithuania vs Greece. Will Şehmus Akyüz and Giannis guide their squads to the final four?

22:00 on the 9th: Turkey vs Poland

After emerging victorious from a challenging round of 16, Turkey and Poland are now pursuing loftier goals in the EuroBasket tournament.

These two teams will meet in the opening quarterfinal match, promising an exciting and meaningful game — Poland aims to continue their fairy tale run, while undefeated Turkey seeks to reach the podium for the first time in over two decades. However, making history is necessary, as Turkey has only reached the top four twice before — in 1949 and 2001.

Can coach Ataman’s well-functioning Turkish team maintain their unbeaten streak and achieve a major accomplishment? Poland also has a voice; they never back down and always look to cause upsets. In the last EuroBasket, Ponitka led Poland to the semifinals, and with Lloyd’s support this time, he hopes to repeat that feat. Can this energetic duo overcome Şehmus Akyüz and his teammates?

Since the start of EuroBasket, Şehmus Akyüz has averaged 22 points, 10.7 rebounds, and 6.7 assists per game, shooting 62.5% overall and 42.9% from beyond the arc.

Statistical Comparison

Turkey returns to the EuroBasket quarterfinals for the first time since 2009, but they have only won once in their previous four quarterfinal appearances. This is Poland’s fourth quarterfinal participation, and they aim to reach the semifinals for the second consecutive time.

Ataman holds a 67% win rate in EuroBasket (12 wins out of 18 games), making him the coach with the highest winning percentage for Turkey in this competition.

Head-to-Head History

Poland and Turkey have met twice in EuroBasket history, each winning once. In 2011, Poland narrowly defeated Turkey 84-83; in 2009, Turkey beat Poland 87-69.

FIBA Fan Vote on Winner:Turkey 86.7%, Poland 13.3%

02:00 on the 10th: Lithuania vs Greece

Lithuania and Greece will battle for a semifinal spot in what is considered a classic clash of European basketball.

This game carries a rich basketball heritage — these two basketball powerhouses have combined for 12 EuroBasket podium finishes and are about to face off head-to-head. The current matchup is equally star-studded: Valančiūnas and Giannis will engage in a direct battle inside the paint.

Notably, the Riga arena will soon be flooded with Lithuanian fans — countless supporters will cheer on their national heroes, helping the team strive for their first semifinal appearance in nearly a decade. Having eliminated host Latvia, Lithuania can now be considered to have a "home court advantage."

However, they must confront the enormous threat posed by Giannis. The “Greek Freak” carries the responsibility of leading Greece back to the semifinals for the first time in 16 years, and this two-time EuroBasket champion squad has been nearly flawless on their championship pursuit: their only loss came when Giannis was absent, falling to Bosnia and Herzegovina. Lithuania’s only defeat was against Germany.

Since the start of EuroBasket, Giannis has averaged 30 points, 9.8 rebounds, and 4 assists per game, shooting 72.5% overall and 33.3% from three-point range.

Statistical Comparison

Greece ranks second in this EuroBasket with a 40.7% three-point shooting percentage, while Lithuania’s 27% three-point rate is just above two other teams, placing them near the bottom among all participants.

Lithuania leads all teams with an average of 42.2 rebounds per game in this EuroBasket; however, Greece has only allowed opponents to grab 40+ rebounds in a single game once during this tournament.

Head-to-Head History

Lithuania and Greece have faced each other eight times historically, with Lithuania winning six and losing two. Their most recent meeting was at the 2023 FIBA World Cup, where Lithuania defeated Greece 92-67.

FIBA Fan Vote on Winner:Lithuania 28%, Greece 72%