Lithuania defeats Finland 81-78: Markkanen contained for the first time at EuroBasket 2025

Lithuania succeeded in containing Lauri Markkanen during their 81-78 victory against Finland in Tampere. For the first time in this EuroBasket 2025, the Finnish star was held under 20 points, which proved decisive in the outcome of this Group B matchup.

Jokubaitis and Tubelis lead Lithuanian charge

Rokas Jokubaitis was the main architect of this victory with an outstanding performance of 16 points and 9 assists, just one assist shy of a double-double. Azuolas Tubelis also shined with 12 points and 11 rebounds, providing the necessary physical impact in the paint.

Marek Blazevic contributed 14 points and 8 rebounds, while Ignas Sargiunas added 10 points to the team effort. Jonas Valanciunas, used sparingly with less than 15 minutes of playing time, still managed to contribute 8 points and 5 rebounds in his limited court time.

LET. ROKAS. COOK. 😮#EuroBasket pic.twitter.com/NBcB5OfHYR

— FIBA EuroBasket (@EuroBasket) September 1, 2025

Markkanen persists despite defensive pressure

Despite Lithuanian defensive pressure, Lauri Markkanen delivered a versatile performance with 19 points, 11 rebounds, and 6 assists. The Utah Jazz player showcased his full range of skills, but it wasn’t enough to avoid Finland’s first defeat in EuroBasket 2025.

Former Paris Basketball player Mikael Jantunen matched his teammate with 19 points and 8 rebounds, offering strong resistance against the Lithuanian defense. Elias Valtonen also contributed 10 points, but the Group B hosts had to concede in a close game.

This victory allows Lithuania to improve their record to 3 wins and 1 loss, joining Finland in the Group B standings. A valuable success that completely revives Lithuanian ambitions in this European competition.