Undefeated Titans Clash: Germany and Turkiye Set for a High-Stakes EuroBasket Final Showdown

When you tune into basketball these days, what really grabs my attention isn’t just the usual suspects — Giannis, Jokic, Doncic, or Markkanen — churning out highlight reels. Nope, it’s the fresh faces leading the charge at EuroBasket: Franz Wagner from Orlando lighting it up for Germany, and Houston’s own Alperen Sengun carrying the torch for Turkiye. These two young guns have powered their squads all the way to the finals, flipping the script in a tournament where defense and grit steal the spotlight. Germany’s relentless lock-down on Markkanen and Turkiye’s daring triple-teams on Antetokounmpo show a strategic depth that’s hard to ignore. Now, with Germany and Turkiye both undefeated and staring each other down this Sunday, basketball fans should brace for a pulse-pounding title bout that promises to be as tight as last time these titans clashed. Curious for the full rundown? LEARN MORE

In a result that feels in sync with what is going on in the NBA, it’s the young generation of stars — Orlando’s Franz Wagner with Germany and Houston’s Alperen Sengun with Turkiye — who have led their teams to the EuroBasket Finals. Not Giannis Antetokounmpo, not Nikola Jokic, not Luka Doncic, and not Lauri Markkanen.

In the first semifinal match on Friday, Wagner had 22 points, while Sacramento’s Dennis Schröder added 26 points and 12 assists to lift Germany past Finland.

As good as Germany’s offense was, it was its defense on Markkanen that was the difference. One of the best players in this tournament, the Utah big man who has sparked a basketball frenzy in Finland, was held to 16 points on 6-of-17 shooting.

In the second game it was the same theme — Turkiye triple-teamed Antetokounmpo on his drives limiting him to 12 points on 13 shots. Without his spark, it wasn’t much of a game as Turkiye cruised to a 94-68 win.

Ercan Osmani led Turkiye with 28 points, and it was another impressive game for Sengun who had 15 points, 12 rebounds and six assists as the hub of the Turkish offense. Sengun has had a monster EuroBasket.

Turkiye and Germany face off Sunday for the EuroBasket title. Expect a close game between the two 8-0 teams, Germany and Turkey played a friendly before EuroBasket, which Germany won in a close one, 73-71.