Italy Faces Luka Dončić and Slovenia in EuroBasket 2025 Knockout Stage

The road to EuroBasket 2025 glory just got a whole lot tougher for Italy. Standing in their way in the Round of 16: Luka Magic Dončić and a talented Slovenian squad. Italy and Slovenia are set to clash today, September 7th, in Riga. For Italian basketball fans, the game tips off at 5:30 PM local time and will be broadcast on Raisport, Rai Play, Dazn, Sky Sport Basket, Now, and Courtside 1891 Fiba [[2]].

Italy’s Uphill Battle

After finishing second in their group in Limassol, Cyprus, behind Giannis Antetokounmpo’s Greece, with a 4-1 record, Italy finds themselves in a challenging bracket. Potential matchups against basketball powerhouses Germany and Serbia loom large should they advance. But first,they must overcome the Slovenian hurdle,led by one of the NBA’s brightest stars.

Coach Pozzecco’s Perspective

Italian head coach Gianmarco Pozzecco acknowledges the magnitude of the task ahead.

“To games like this against Slovenia ther are no great reasons to be transmitted to athletes. It will be a pleasure and I want the boys to be happy to take the field. I live my players from 23 July and I know how much expenditure of physical and mental energies have faced to remain concentrated and always compete in a group like ours. And I also know that in front of them there is an extremely complicated path. However,I have great confidence in them and what I wish him and to give himself the same concentration they had in the first 5 games. Impossible to stop Luka Dončić Because they can’t do it even in NBA. we will try to put him in difficulty trying not to make him make a crazy game but we certainly know his medium points and it is indeed logical to expect it to continue like this. We will have to be careful of him and all the situations he is able to create on the pitch and who facilitate his teammates. I want to dedicate a thought to Giorgio Armani again and embrace Leo dell’Orco in this difficult moment. A big good luck rather I send him to rino Gattuso, who yesterday started his journey at the helm of our national football team.I am a fan of his and I believe that his presence will compact everyone.”
Gianmarco pozzecco, Italian National Team Head Coach

Pozzecco understands the near-impossible task of shutting down Dončić entirely, recognizing his NBA dominance. The focus, he says, will be on making things difficult for the Dallas Mavericks superstar and limiting his ability to create opportunities for his teammates.

Melli’s Take: it’s Not Just About Luka

Italian captain Nik Melli echoed his coach’s sentiments, emphasizing that Slovenia is more than just a one-man show.

“First of all we are happy to be here to play such an significant and captivating game. It was not at all obvious given our group. Luka Doncic is among the five strongest players in the world and we will have to be very careful but I would not reduce everything to a challenge against him.Slovenia has other experiences of experience who know what it is right what to do. We will have to impose our rhythm and involve everyone as we have done so far. our strong point is the group and this time too we will try to find different protagonists who can help us make a point more than them. Perhaps we are deeper than them in terms of roster but in these races inside/outside everything can happen. We are in a very complicated part of the scoreboard but dreaming does not cost anything and we are here to compete.”
Nik Melli, Italian National Team Captain

Melli highlights the importance of team play and leveraging Italy’s roster depth. He acknowledges Slovenia’s experience and the unpredictable nature of knockout games.

Defense vs. Offense: A Clash of Styles

Italy has been a defensive force in eurobasket 2025,allowing a tournament-best 66.6 points per game. Coach Pozzecco’s team has displayed notable compactness and rebounding prowess. However,they face a Slovenian team that is an offensive juggernaut. Dončić is currently leading EuroBasket 2025 in scoring (32.4 ppg), steals (3.2 spg), and efficiency (32.4) [[1]]. He also ranks second in assists (8.4 apg).Slovenia boasts the second-highest scoring offense in the tournament, averaging 93.8 points per game, just behind Germany [[3]].

Slovenia’s Supporting Cast

While Dončić is the headliner, Slovenia’s roster features seasoned veterans like Klemen Prapelic, Gregor Hrovat, Edo Muric, and Aleksej Nikolic, all of whom bring valuable experience to the team.

Slovenia’s Road to the Knockout Stage

After a rocky start in the group stage, with losses to Poland and France, Slovenia rebounded with victories over Belgium, Iceland, and israel.

Past Head-to-Head

Historically, Italy has struggled against Slovenia, with a 9-15 record in their 24 encounters. Their most recent meeting was at the Manila World Championship, where Slovenia prevailed 89-85, fueled by a Dončić double-double (29 points, 10 rebounds). Italy last defeated Slovenia in 2006 at the Sapporo World Cup, with Marco Belinelli leading the way with 26 points.

The Pozzecco Era Begins Against Dončić

Gianmarco Pozzecco’s debut as Italy’s head coach came against Slovenia on June 25, 2022, a game Slovenia won 90-71 behind Dončić’s 12 points and 7 rebounds.