By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
Lauri Markkanen put on a show with 48 points and grabbed nine rebounds as Finland defeated Belgium 105 – 62 to tip off its EuroBasket 2025 preparation games.
In front of a crowd in his hometown of Jyväskylä, Markkanen erupted for 10 out of 11 2-pointers and 7 – 13 triples in just 25:10. While in an exhibition game, these 48 points are the most that Markkanen has registered with the jersey of the Finnish national team.
As the star of the show said about his 48-point output, “Well, it’s been a while since I last played here. I had good memories of the previous international match in Jyväskylä, and I had a feeling from the start that I could do well today. But there was still room for improvement on many levels.”
Sasu Salin, who played his 150th international match with the national team, added: “It’s really nice that Lauri gave such a gift on his 150th international match. I’ve been in this gang for quite a few years, but basketball is still fun. It’s great when you have guys like that around you.”
Oliver Nkamhoua added 11 points and Miro Little contributed 8 assists to go with his four points for Finland. Sasu Salin dropped eight points.
Viliet Van (12 points) and Mamadou Guisse (10 points) scored in double figures for Belgium.