2025 EuroBasket: MVP Dennis Schroder Guides Germany to European Title After 32 Years

Despite having one of the most difficult performances of his EuroBasket campaign, Dennis Schroder once again proved crucial for Germany.

2025 EuroBasket MVP Dennis Schroder Guides Germany to European Title After 32 Years

Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

On this closing Sunday of EuroBasket 2025, Germany proved itself once again as the great power of European basketball today. In a packed Riga Arena, in Latvia, the current world champion defeated the excellent Turkey in the final 88-83. The German became the two-time EuroBasket champion and ended the long drought of 32 years.

It was Germany’s first title since 1993, when they hosted the competition. The team went undefeated, winning all eight matches throughout the various stages. In the final, they trailed for most of the match, but had an excellent final quarter and took the trophy.

Germany Remain Unbeaten to Become New Champion of Europe

Despite having one of the most difficult performances of his EuroBasket campaign, Dennis Schroder once again proved crucial for Germany. The Sacramento Kings point guard struggled, committing six turnovers, but also shone with a double-double of 16 points and 12 assists (a Finals record), orchestrating the German attack.

In the end, he scored the champion’s last six points in the duel, and ended up being crowned with the EuroBasket 2025 MVP award. He had also won the MVP award in the 2023 World Cup win.

Somewhat surprisingly, the top scorer ended up being Isaac Bonga. The forward had 20 points and five rebounds, hitting all four of his shots from the perimeter and appearing in the game’s most crucial moments. As a result, he ended up receiving the MVP award.

Also one of the campaign’s standout performers, Franz Wagner contributed 18 points, including 16 in the first half, and eight rebounds. Once again, Tristan da Silva came off the bench, scoring 13 points, including three crucial shots from the perimeter.

On the other side, Turkey won its second EuroBasket silver medal. The tournament’s standout performer, Alperen Sengun, had a memorable final. The Houston Rockets star scored 28 points, leading the final in scoring. Also inspired, forward Cedi Osman was a torment from the perimeter, hitting six of nine shots and finishing with 23 points and five rebounds.

Another player who had a great tournament, point guard Shane Larkin flirted with a double-double, posting 13 points, nine assists, and six rebounds. Philadelphia 76ers center Adem Bona performed well during Sengun’s rest periods, with 12 points and a 100% field goal percentage.

Turkiye Surges Early but Germany Recovers Quickly in Final

The opening minutes were marked by Turkey’s complete dominance on both sides of the court. On defense, Egin Ataman’s team executed well-coordinated double-teams every time Schroder or Wagner put the ball on the floor. On the other side, they were on fire on the perimeter with two consecutive passes from Osman and one from Larkin, opening up an 11-point lead.

Frightened, Germany called a timeout and came back stronger. Especially defensively, Bonga did a good job of containing the opponent’s attacks on the perimeter. The wing, however, ended up leaving the court early after committing two quick fouls, as did Theis, who was primarily responsible for defending Sengun.

Despite this, the Germans managed to exploit transitions to consistently score in the paint. Then, they turned the score around with a three-pointer from Tristan da Silva and finished the first quarter leading 24-22.

Sengun Dominates the Opponent’s Paint, Electrifying Final Quarter Confirms German Maturity

While the world champions were struggling with foul trouble, Turkey was also concerned about Sengun, another player who had committed two fouls in the first half. Still very evenly matched, the game saw a series of changes in leadership. Franz Wagner dominated the counterattacks and infiltrations on one side, while Larkin and Bona also connected on the other.

Then, the Rockets’ star decided to show up for the game. During the final minutes, Sengun scored in every way: showing off his footwork in the low post, with layups, hitting 3-pointers, mid-range shots, and finally, with free throws. With the number 23’s show, the Turks naturally regained the lead. Germany, meanwhile, was committing a string of turnovers and suffering from a lackluster Schroder. Thus, they went into the locker room trailing 46-40.

The Turks returned from halftime with Sengun on the bench due to foul trouble. And then, just a few minutes later, Germany took the lead. More aggressive, Schroder hit a long-range 3-pointer and found Bonga in the dead zone for the comeback. Houston’s center was quickly called into action again, and he returned to the court with a 3-pointer.

The following minutes followed the same rhythm as the previous quarters. With both teams hot on the perimeter, the lead exchanges were constant. In the final stretch, Osman knocked down a three-pointer, giving Turkey a six-point lead. The German team responded in kind, and the third quarter ended with a narrow 67-66 lead for the Turks.

At the start of the final period, the attack naturally slowed down. After a few minutes of drought, Turkey took a six-point lead again after another Osman shot from the perimeter. Always present in crucial moments, Bonga responded from long range as well.

The second half of the quarter would be electrifying. With about two minutes remaining, the score was tied at 79. Larkin converted two free throws, giving the Turkish team a two-point lead. On the next play, the completely subdued Theis found himself free on the perimeter, facing the basket, after receiving a pass from Schroder. The center stepped up to the plate and converted his first three attempts of the night, giving the Germans the lead back.

Shane Larkin responded quickly, sprinting up the court and rising to the plate. From then on, it would be time for the great player of the German generation to shine again. After a great defensive possession by Turkey, Schroder cut inside and used his non-dominant left hand to lay up a plastic tray, escaping the opponent’s tight marking. On the other side, Sengun spun around the marker and rose to the plate, but ended up missing the attempt.

Theis secured the defensive rebound and had the ball in his hands to seal the victory, but missed the shot. The decisive Bonga rose and collected the offensive rebound, handing the ball to Schroder. The point guard took advantage of center Ercan Osmani’s defense, faked, and hit a beautiful midrange shot, securing a three-point lead in the final seconds.

In the end, the Germans opted not to foul, and the Turks had a chance to equalize. But after finding no space to shoot, Larkin passed to Sengun, who, well-marked, failed to convert a desperate attempt from the perimeter. Schroder would hit the final two shots to crown, with a flourish, another great German basketball title.

Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

Gulshan Sharma

A native of Jaipur, Rajasthan, journalist, and a complete soccer and basketball fan, he found the huge interest with basketball by watching videos of Allen Iverson and Tony Parker, but fell head over heels in love with the sport during the Warriors’ championship era (2015-2018). A sports game addict since his late PS1, he’s also passionate about the Eagles, Inter Miami and the Fever. He’s fortunate to have seen all his favorite teams win championships. He also has a special love for cricket and football (soccer), where he is a fan of Royal Challengers Bangalore and Barcelona.

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