U16 European Basketball Championships: Croatia is the Champions of Europe

Croatia met Spain in the final (FIBA)

The Croatia U16 basketball team is the champions of Europe.

Croatia has turned on an impressive display to beat Spain in the dying seconds 71-70 to win the final of the European Championships in Novi Sad on Saturday night. 

Mile Karakas’ team started the match strongly and would go into the halftime break leading 37-29 thanks to 19 points by Real Madrid’s Boris Tisma.

(FIBA)

Spain found their groove in the third quarter holding Croatia to just a single field goal attempt in two and a half minutes to cut the gap and with just over 5 minutes left on the clock they took the lead. 

(FIBA)

Croatia rallied back and a dunk with 18 seconds to go from Roko Prkačin gave them the lead but a 3-pointer with 5 seconds on the clock gave Spain the lead. Croatia had the last say and sealed the win with a lay-up from Prkačin again in the last seconds to win 71-70. 

(FIBA)

Tisma finished with 24 points, 19 of them in the first half, Prkacin had 18 and 10 rebounds.

After losing to Turkey in their opening match 75-70, Croatia went on an unbeaten run beating Germany, and Greece in the group phase. 

(FIBA)

In the Round of 16, Croatia beat Italy before beating Lithuania in the quarter-final and reigning champs France in the semi-final. 

(FIBA)