RIGA (Latvia) – Latvia tried to turn Nikola Jokic into a scorer instead of a passer. The result? A historic night. The Serbian superstar responded with a career-high 39 points, leading Serbia past hosts Latvia 84–80 in front of 11,000 passionate fans at Arena Riga.
With captain Bogdan Bogdanovic sidelined due to a hamstring injury, Serbia relied on Jokic’s dominance to stay perfect in Group A. The win lifts Serbia to 3-0, securing their spot in the Round of 16, while Latvia drop to 1-2 in this crucial EuroBasket 2025 encounter.
🔥 Turning Point
Serbia controlled most of the game with a double-digit lead thanks to three-point shooting from Marko Guduric, Aleksa Avramovic, and Ognjen Dobric. The Serbian offense found rhythm early and maintained pressure throughout most of the contest at Arena Riga.
But with under two minutes remaining, Davis Bertans drilled a deep three-pointer to cut the gap to four (75–79). Jokic immediately answered with a three of his own, but Latvia stormed back with a 5-0 run, capped by Arturs Kurucs’ corner triple that electrified the home crowd (80–82).
With less than a minute left, Jokic drew a foul, calmly sank both free throws, and sealed the win. Neither team scored again, confirming Serbia’s undefeated run in EuroBasket 2025.
🏆 TCL Player of the Game
🇷🇸 Nikola Jokic – Historic Performance
Latvia’s strategy was clear: defend Jokic one-on-one. Whether guarded by Porzingis, Smits, Cavars, or Grazulis, the MVP took advantage of every matchup. Despite suffering a cut to his elbow after a hard fall in the first half, Jokic returned unfazed and delivered his best national team performance to date.
The Serbian fans behind the bench responded with loud “MVP” chants as Jokic carried his nation to victory in this thrilling Arena Riga atmosphere at EuroBasket 2025.
📊 Stats Don’t Lie
Game-Deciding Numbers
Points in the paint: Serbia 42 – Latvia 22. Serbia’s inside dominance proved decisive, especially with Bogdanovic unavailable. Previous Jokic career-high with Serbia: 32 points vs Italy (2022 Round of 16).
The statistical story reveals how Serbia’s interior presence overwhelmed Latvia’s defensive schemes, with Jokic’s historic performance highlighting the gap between the teams in EuroBasket 2025 competition.
📈 Bottom Line
🇷🇸 Serbia (3-0)
Clinched a spot in the Round of 16 with perfect group stage record. Jokic’s career-high performance demonstrates championship depth despite missing key players.🇱🇻 Latvia (1-2)
Will face Portugal and Czechia in their remaining group games. Home crowd support remains strong despite this setback in EuroBasket 2025.Honorable mention: Filip Petrusev bounced back with 12 points after an early exit in the Portugal game, providing crucial support alongside Jokic’s historic night at Arena Riga.
💬 They Said
📺 Medisa & Ribaund Professional Coverage
Medisa SportsWorks EuroBasket coverage brings you comprehensive analysis of Jokic’s historic performance and Serbia’s perfect group stage campaign. Our partnership with Ribaund Basketball provides in-depth tournament insights throughout EuroBasket 2025.
