By Semih Tuna/ info@eurohoops.net
Riga, Latvia – Once again, Poland is in the European Championship quarterfinals. After impressing in the group stage at home in Katowice, Igor Miličić’s side defeated Bosnia and Herzegovina in Riga to secure a spot among the eight best teams at the 2025 EuroBasket.
Miličić expressed immense pride in his team as they reach the EuroBasket quarterfinals for the second consecutive tournament.
“We are very proud, especially because we are back-to-back in this elite eight. There aren’t a lot of teams that have accomplished this, check it out. Just the proof of quality work, quality of Polish players, and that we, as a federation and a team, have quality,” Miličić said.
Reflecting on the challenges ahead, as Poland prepares to face Turkey in the battle for the semifinals, the coach stressed the importance of preparation in knockout games.
“I don’t expect anything; you have to prove yourself over and over again. This tournament, especially this knockout phase, is the phase where you have to be prepared much earlier. Obviously, there are injuries, situations where somebody is hot or not, but everybody has to be prepared in advance in order to be successful in this tournament. You can’t only rely on quality.”
Looking ahead to the quarterfinal clash against Turkey, Miličić acknowledged the strength of the opposition.
“Very tough team, very strong roster, the best team in years for Turkey, and all compliments to coach Ataman for leading them to the Top 8,” he concluded.