Spain bounced back from its dramatic defeat against Georgia with a convincing 88–67 win over Bosnia. The victory is crucial for Spain’s hopes of reaching the Round of 16 and provides a valuable confidence boost for the young squad.
Bosnia, a Softer Challenge
From the start of the game it was clear that Bosnia was a different opponent than Georgia. Coming into EuroBasket, both teams were seen as evenly matched. However, with the absences of Luka Garza, Džanan Musa, and Xavier Castañeda, Bosnia’s roster was left severely depleted. Additionally, Bosnia’s star Jusuf Nurkić could not make up for the team’s shortcomings, recording 10 points and 7 rebounds on 2-of-8 field goal shooting. On the other hand, Dubai’s newly signed center Kenan Kamenjaš was the best player of the Bosnian squad, with an impressive 14 points and 10 rebounds in just over 20 minutes.
Spain Sharpens Its Offense
Spain’s victory was not just a result of Bosnia’s weakness, but also of the team’s clear improvements. The best news for Spanish fans was the increase in shooting accuracy. In their EuroBasket debut, Spain shot a dreadful 21.9% from three-point range and just 46.2% from the free-throw line. Against Bosnia, however, both numbers improved dramatically, with the team hitting 39.5% from beyond the arc and 81.3% at the stripe. These percentages only dipped in the fourth quarter, when a comfortable lead of nearly 30 points led to a visible drop in intensity. By the start of the final period, Spain had been perfect from the free-throw line (7-of-7) and was shooting an impressive 13-of-28 from deep (46.4%).
What’s more, the leaders of the squad significantly increased their contribution. Santi Aldama, after a quiet game against Georgia, scored 19 points and grabbed 5 rebounds, while Darío Brizuela recorded 15 points, 5 assists, and 3 rebounds. Most importantly, both players raised their efficiency, combining for 9-of-15 from beyond the arc (60%). This marks a massive improvement from their performance against Georgia, where they shot just 2-of-13 from three (15.3%). Additionally, Willy Hernangómez added 16 points and reached an efficiency score of 20.
Room for Growth
Despite its resounding victory, Spain still needs to tackle some serious problems if it wants to compete against more talented teams like Greece or Italy. Its major weakness remains the lack of presence at the point guard position. Sergio de Larrea, the starting PG of the squad, went scoreless in almost 23 minutes of playing time. Despite De Larrea’s struggles, Mario Saint-Supery had a better performance, scoring 9 points and handing out 4 assists in just over 17 minutes. Nevertheless, De Larrea must shake off his shyness and be more aggressive offensively.
Looking Ahead
Fortunately for Spain, their next opponent is Cyprus, the weakest team in the tournament. Having lost both of its games by 27 points, Cyprus offers Spain’s young and inexperienced point guards a valuable chance to experiment and grow. The lack of competitiveness from the rival side means that even an excess of mistakes is unlikely to be costly. With confidence restored and Cyprus up next, Spain has a golden chance to continue growing before the real tests arrive.
Posted On: 31 August 2025, 12:00 CET
