From -21 to Giant Killers: Elvar Fridriksson Gives Iceland Victory Over Lithuania with Magnificent Buzzer-Beater
Iceland pulled off a stunner Friday night in Reykjavik, edging Lithuania 86–85 on a buzzer-beater from Elvar Fridriksson. It made the moment even sweeter coming from a player who knows Lithuanian basketball inside and out.
From -21 in the fourth.
ICELAND HAVE DONE THE IMPOSSIBLE TO DEFEAT LITHUANIA!#FIBAWC | #StepItUp pic.twitter.com/KPLRUO7llc
— FIBA Basketball World Cup 🏆 (@FIBAWC) February 27, 2026
A Thriller-Worthy Scenario for the Third Consecutive Time
This one fits into a wild trend, as it marks Lithuania’s third straight game decided by a single point in these 2027 World Cup qualifiers. After building a 21-point lead and taking control early in the second quarter, the Lithuanians couldn’t close it out against a resilient Iceland side.
The twist? The dagger came from someone who knows Lithuanian basketball inside out. Elvar Fridriksson spent the 2020–21 season with Siauliai before a stint with Rytas Vilnius in 2022–23.
An Exceptional Performance That Shakes Up the Rankings
Fridriksson’s evening will be etched in memory. He finished with 34 points and 6 assists, putting on a show capped by that buzzer-beating two that sent the Reykjavik crowd into chaos. The win moves Iceland to 2–1, while Lithuania slips to 1–2.
It’s the kind of result that shakes up the group and reminds you how unpredictable international basketball can be. Behind their offensive leader’s breakout performance, Iceland suddenly looks like a very real outsider in the race to the 2027 World Cup.
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