Belgium has made headlines as the national basketball team, known as the Belgian Lions, secured their qualification for EuroBasket 2025 with a commanding 93-63 victory against Slovakia. The match took place at Charleroi, marking a significant moment for the team as they confirmed their spot for the upcoming tournament even before their final qualifying game against Spain.
The victory against Slovakia was not just about the scoreline; it represented the culmination of efforts during the qualification campaign, which had its fair share of challenges. After struggling against Latvia with two losses earlier, Belgium demonstrated resilience and improvement. They opened their qualifiers with a win against Slovakia (75-60) and followed it up with an impressive triumph over Spain (58-53), which helped them cement their position at the top.
Coach Dario Gjergja, who has been at the helm for this victorious stint, expressed confidence in his team's potential, stating, "We can do even more. We need to find great players, have more pride for our country, more will, and passion, and then we can progress even more. With more time, we can refine the team." This sentiment highlights the team's drive to continue improving before they compete on the European stage.
The dominance shown against Slovakia—who now stand at 0-5—solidified Belgium's standing, as they became the first team to qualify from their group. This performance has been pivotal, especially as the Belgian Lions have not only displayed their seasoned players' capabilities but also introduced promising young talent, indicating the future of Belgian basketball looks bright.
Key players like Retin Obasohan emerged as standout performers, contributing significantly to the team’s success. He was instrumental during the match against Slovakia, ending as the highest scorer with 21 points, backed by 8 rebounds and 8 assists. Obasohan, along with fellow experienced players such as Loic Schwartz, Pierre-Antoine Gillet, Hans Vanwijn, and Ismaël Bako, brings invaluable experience from both domestic and international competitions, setting the stage for what could be the most competitive Belgian team yet.
Among the younger talents are Thijs De Ridder and Jo Van Buggenhout, both born in 2003, who have stepped up impressively during the qualifiers. Their contributions might be fundamental to the team’s depth moving forward as the Belgian squad aims to not only qualify but also perform exceptionally at EuroBasket 2025.
The historical impact of this qualification should not be overlooked either. Belgium’s basketball scene has seen its fair share of highs and lows. While the country has not won any medals at the EuroBasket historically, with their best finish being fourth place back in 1947, their recent trend is one of steady improvement. Since 2011, Belgium has qualified for every EuroBasket, which marks a significant turnaround from their previous sporadic appearances between 1981 and 2009, where they only competed once.
Belgium has been building momentum, and with the right mix of seasoned players and new talents ready to take the challenge head-on, the question now is: how far can the Belgian Lions go this time at EuroBasket 2025? Their roster blends experience with youth, forming what many believe could be their most competitive lineup to date. Now is the time to dream big as they prepare for one of Europe's premier basketball events.