Cop Ignites Slovenia to Dominant EuroBasket Victory
Gal Cop ignited Slovenia's offence with a 19-point performance, powering his team to a commanding 88-66 victory over Bulgaria at the FIBA U18 EuroBasket.
Slovenia seized control early, building a 20-point halftime lead (48-28) fuelled by a dominant second quarter where they outscored Bulgaria by 14. This momentum carried forward, extending their advantage to 28 points entering the final period (75-47).
Slovenia's offensive efficiency, hitting 50% of their field goals (34/68), stood in stark contrast to Bulgaria's 36% shooting (26/73). The depth of Slovenia's bench also proved crucial, contributing 38 points compared to just 14 for Bulgaria. Maks Ciperle added 9 points and 4 assists, while Igor Stjepanovic chipped in with 14 points and 4 assists.
Despite strong efforts from Kristiyan Zanov, who posted a double-double with 18 points and 17 rebounds, and Kaloyan Kolev with 17 points, Bulgaria could not bridge the gap. Slovenia made a significant statement with this performance in the European tournament.