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Serbia Stumbles in EuroBasket Upset, Rebounding Woes Highlighted as Key Factor
serbia suffered a surprising 92-86 defeat to Finland in Riga on Saturday evening, a result that sent shockwaves through EuroBasket 2025. The loss came despite a strong performance from Nikola Jokic, who was the team’s leading scorer. following the game, Serbian coach Svetislav Pesic pinpointed the team’s inability to control the boards as a critical factor in the upset.
Pesic was quick to credit Finland’s performance, stating, “We have not underestimated Finland, it’s a fantastic team. What made the difference in this match were their offensive rebounds. Finland deserved to win,it was an excellent match.” He emphasized that the Finns secured a staggering 20 offensive rebounds, ultimately disrupting Serbia’s rhythm. “We did not find a solution to contain their offensive rebounds, and this is an vital element of the game,” he explained. “We have lost even if Finland drew only 41%,but it has scored 92 points. All this illustrates the importance of offensive rebounds, and it also gave them confidence.”
Beyond the rebounding deficit, Pesic acknowledged physical limitations within his team.Several players were battling injuries or illness, including Nikola Jovic, who was unable to train leading up to the game. “We can look for an apology, but the reality is that you have to be in better physical form in a tournament like that.And we haven’t been,” Pesic stated. “Several players had to play despite injuries, we also had a virus in the team, a disease.” He stressed these were not excuses, but highlighted the need for peak physical condition in a high-stakes tournament.
Pesic also noted a lack of defensive aggression, both individually and as a team, which he ultimately linked back to the rebounding issue. He observed that Serbia only found its footing in the second quarter,the only period they won,when they began to address the rebounding problem. “Of course, you never loose a match for one reason, there are always several. What I can say is something everyone has seen. It was only in the second quarter that we found our balance,when we checked the rebounds.And this is the only quarter we have won, which means it was the key to the match. After that, we couldn’t control it anymore, and that’s why we lost.”
despite being widely considered the favorites, Pesic pointed out that Finland played with freedom, unburdened by expectations.The defeat marks a disappointing start to the tournament for Serbia and underscores the importance of rebounding and physical conditioning in international competition.
