Pelle Larsson leads Sweden to first EuroBasket victory since 2013

Sweden has revitalized its EuroBasket 2025 campaign by defeating Great Britain 78-59 in Tampere, Finland. This victory marks a historic turning point for the Swedes, who hadn’t tasted success in this competition since 2013, when they beat Russia in Koper, Slovenia.

With this win, Sweden improves its record to one win and two losses in Group B, while Great Britain falls to 0-3 and sees its qualification hopes seriously diminish.

Larsson returns to the team and shines immediately

Back in the team after an illness, Pelle Larsson had an immediate impact on the game. The Swedish guard scored 21 points, including 13 in the third quarter alone, along with 4 rebounds. His performance was crucial in giving Sweden its first victory at EuroBasket in twelve years.

⚠ HEAT CHECK ⚠

Pelle Larsson takes over Q3 with 13PTS!#EuroBasket pic.twitter.com/4y3NlbCkfz

— FIBA EuroBasket (@EuroBasket) August 30, 2025

The game started perfectly for the Swedes, with Ludvig Hakanson scoring the first basket after just five seconds on an uncontested layup. Larsson then took over to keep Great Britain at bay, despite some positive sequences from the British team.

Former Monaco player Melwin Pantzar also contributed with 12 points on 4/6 shooting and 8 rebounds. For the British side, Myles Hesson finished as top scorer with 17 points, but it wasn’t enough to avoid defeat.

Sweden’s physical advantage proved decisive in this matchup. The Swedes blocked six opponent attempts and dominated in the paint with 40 points scored inside compared to just 14 for Great Britain. In the last minute of the third quarter, Sweden definitively put the game out of reach.

Both teams now benefit from a well-deserved rest day. Sweden will look to build on this renewed momentum against Montenegro, while Great Britain must face the challenge of undefeated Germany. These two crucial matches will take place on Monday.