Bogdanovic, Markkanen Continue Strong Play In Europe
Sep 8, 2022, 2:20 PM
Utah Jazz forwards Lauri Markkanen and Bojan Bogdanovic (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)
(Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY – Bojan Bogdanovic and Lauri Markkanen continued their strong play for their national teams at the FIBA EuroBasket tournament Thursday.
The Utah Jazz forwards have both played significant roles in their countries’ successes on the hardwood as they wrap up group play ahead of the EuroBasket knockout rounds.
Bogdanovic scored 27 points in each of his last two outings, dropping a game to Italy on Tuesday but bouncing back with a win over Ukraine on Thursday to conclude group play with a 3-2 record, second-best in Group C.
Lauri Markkanen needed just 18MIN to get 22PTS! 🐺
👑 The King in the North finished the group phase averaging 24.8PPG & 7.4RPG! #EuroBasket x #BringTheNoise pic.twitter.com/pRC6ORtOPG
— #EuroBasket 2022 (@EuroBasket) September 8, 2022
Markkanen has been one of the top stars of the tournament turning in two 30-point performances in Finland’s first four games.
On Thursday the newest Jazz forward scored 22 points and grabbed three rebounds in Finland’s 88-67 blowout victory over the Netherlands.
With the victory, Markkanen and Finland finished group play with a 3-2 record, good for second in Group D.
EuroBasket Format
The EuroBasket tournament is split into four groups of six teams, with all six teams in each group competing against one another in a round-robin style of play.
The top four teams in each group will then move on to the knockout stage of the tournament.
Bogdanovic, Markkanen, and new Jazz forward Simone Fontecchio of Italy will all see their teams qualify for the knockout round, though the full Group of 16 schedule has yet to be set.
Bojan Bogdanovic. As smooth as you like.#EuroBasket x @CbfHks pic.twitter.com/9nHemW2djK
— #EuroBasket 2022 (@EuroBasket) September 8, 2022
Markkanen finished group play as the fourth-leading scorer of EuroBasket at 24.8 points per game.
Fontecchio is currently the league’s seventh-leading scorer at 19.5 points per game, while Bogdanovic rapidly climbed up the statistical board with an 18.4 point per game average.
Former Jazzman Rudy Gobert has been one of the stars of EuroBasket leading France to a 3-2 record and into the knockout rounds.
Gobert, who is now a member of the Minnesota Timberwolves, averaged 12.8 points and 9.0 rebounds during group play for France.
