In one of the earliest jolts of EuroBasket 2025, Georgia defeated Spain 83–69 in Limassol to open Group C. Georgia’s two‑way execution, anchored by frontcourt play and a decisive rebounding edge, frustrated Spain’s offense for long stretches and flipped the expected hierarchy in the group. Sandro Mamukelashvili impacted the game across the box score, and Georgia’s collective size bothered Spain on the glass and in the paint.
For Spain, the result is a reminder that group play affords little time to correct course. Turnovers and missed free throws compounded the issues, and although there were late flashes from the wings, the holders never stitched together the extended run required to flip the game. The defeat places unusual early pressure on Spain’s remaining fixtures in Limassol, where they still face Italy and Greece in a tightly bunched schedule.
From Georgia’s perspective, banking a win over the defending champions dramatically improves their Round‑of‑16 outlook and provides an injection of belief. Their rotation showed balance between creators and finishers, while the defensive coverages stayed disciplined against Spain’s screening actions. The matchup also underlined how EuroBasket’s condensed calendar elevates the value of physicality and execution on neutral courts.
The group phase runs from August 27 to September 4 across Riga (Group A), Tampere (Group B), Limassol (Group C) and Katowice (Group D). The Round of 16 is single-elimination on September 6–7, followed by quarterfinals on September 9–10, semifinals on September 12, and the final on September 14 in Riga. Twenty-four teams play five group games each, with the top four in every group advancing. These dates and the multi-host setup are defined by FIBA for EuroBasket 2025 and shape the tactical choices teams make during the first week.
