Serbia's basketball players against Finland: The first big European Championship surprise

Svetislav Pesic has shaken many hands after a game in his long career as a basketball coach. He usually does this while chewing gum and giving a quick nod; sometimes it's harder, sometimes easier. A life as a coaching legend brings with it all sorts of ups and downs, so you take things in stride. But this time, in the massive Riga arena, the 76-year-old seemed almost resigned as he shook hands with his Finnish colleague Lassi Tuovi. Pesic had to watch as his Serbian national team, a collection of international greats, had once again inexplicably shrunk.

Eliminated in the European Championship round of 16 by underdog Finland, another title lost to the big favorite, a momentous 86:92 defeat, tearful Serbian fans in the stands. This even hit home for the veteran, who thought he'd seen it all. As he and his players dragged themselves exhausted off the court, this tournament had its first, huge surprise.

The DBB team's agonizing round of 16 match against Portugal is reminiscent of a milestone on the road to the 2023 World Cup title. Maodo Lo is the lifesaver this time, because he shows his qualities, especially in deadlocked moments.

The fact that Serbia , with all the talent it has, including center Nikola Jokic (whose 33 points weren't enough), failed so early, just like at the previous European Championship, has thrown the standings into disarray. Suddenly, Germany's path to a possible European Championship final seems more manageable, because Serbia in the semifinals would have been a tough one – although: Perhaps it will be tough against the Finns. According to Pesic, they are "a fantastic team, they really deserve" to reach the quarterfinals.

They hadn't underestimated this opponent, whom the DBB team clearly overran in the group stage, Pesic explained contritely at the press conference. "The game was decided on the offensive backboard," he said. The guys from the north were constantly getting second chances after missed shots, and Lauri Markkanen, Mikael Jantunen, or that lanky, bushy-haired 18-year-old everyone at this European Championship is calling "Slim Jesus," Miikka Muurinen, kept flying into the frame. "It was a great game, and if anyone thinks we took it lightly, that wasn't the case," Pesic justified himself.

The accusation of frivolity against the Serbs is at least not entirely out of the blue of expert analysis. Too often, the current generation, including NBA-hardened pros like Jokic (Denver Nuggets), youngster Nikola Jovic (Miami Heat), and Vasilije Micic (most recently Phoenix Suns), who has dominated Europe for years, has failed to show their skills in decisive situations. World Cup silver came in 2023, when the Germans ultimately pulled away in the final in Manila, and Olympic bronze in the same matchup provided some relief for Serbia in Paris 2024. But the true destiny of this group of highly talented players since Pesic's return to the post of national coach has been a title. Just like in 2002, when he led the then-Yugoslavia to the World Cup.

But back then, unlike now, he probably had a completely fit basketball team at his disposal. Captain Bogdan Bogdanovic was sidelined with a torn muscle fiber at the start of the tournament; his calmness and leadership were irreplaceable. And the rest? They weren't physically at their best, as was evident in the decisive phase of the thriller against Finland. When their NBA muscleman Lauri Markkanen (29 points, eight rebounds) and former Germany player Elias Valtonen (Tübingen, Rostock) took over, the Serbs were staggering like weary Everest climbers. The mountain was too high. "We can look for excuses, but the reality is that we need to be in better physical shape for a tournament like this," Pesic complained. "Many players were struggling with injuries, and we had a virus going around."

What Pesic failed to mention was that even as a decorated coach, he was unable to inspire his team. The tactical tricks he showed were nothing more than "all balls to the 2.16-meter-tall Jokic." At 76, Pesic is of advanced coaching age. Serbian media are already speculating about possible successors.