Historic Achievement for Portuguese Basketball
In a nail-biting showdown, Portugal secured their spot in the Knockout Phase of the FIBA EuroBasket for the first time ever, defeating Estonia 68-65 in a direct battle for the final ticket from Group A. This marks a monumental moment for the team, echoing past near-misses like in 2007 when they finished ninth.
Turning Point of the Game
Emotions ran high as the game came down to the wire. Portugal seemed to have control after an 11-0 run late in the third and early fourth quarters, but Estonia's Artur Konontsuk responded with three consecutive three-pointers and a layup, giving them a 64-61 lead with just a minute left.
When Portugal needed a hero, Rafael Lisboa stepped up. The point guard sank a massive three-pointer from deep and made all four free throws in the closing seconds, sealing a memorable win. Estonia's last-ditch effort, a halfcourt shot by Kristian Kullamae, missed as time expired.
TCL Player of the Game
Rafael Lisboa was the standout performer, coming off the bench to score 17 points and dish out 5 assists in a heroic effort that propelled Portugal to victory.
Key Statistics
Estonia struggled offensively, committing 17 turnovers, with 8 resulting in steals by Portugal. This led to a significant advantage in points off turnovers (19-7), which proved crucial in such a close contest.
Overcoming Adversity
Even with Neemias Queta (15 points) being ejected in the third quarter after picking up two technical fouls, Portugal showed incredible resilience to bounce back and secure their second win of the day.
Post-Game Reactions
"Unbelievable feeling! That was our goal since the beginning of the competition. This win shows the character of our team—we never gave up and gave everything to the end," said Rafael Lisboa.
Travante Williams added, "I've seen him make that before. I trust him, I believe in him. I knew it was going in," referring to Lisboa's clutch shot.
Estonia, despite not advancing, received a heartfelt ovation from their fans, who stayed long after the game to applaud the team's efforts.
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