Padjen Powers Slovenia to Dominant Victory
Mark Padjen delivered a scintillating offensive display, scoring 20 points to propel Slovenia to a commanding 88-61 victory over Belgium at the FIBA U20 EuroBasket.
In a continental tournament where every game matters, the Slovenians seized control early, building a 21-point lead by halftime (53-32) and extending that advantage to a commanding 32 points entering the final quarter (74-42).
Slovenia's dominance was fuelled by suffocating defence and balanced scoring, with their bench contributing 32 points compared to Belgium's 16. Despite shooting just 21% from three-point range (6/28), Slovenia's overall 43% field goal accuracy (29/68) and a significant rebounding edge (41-36) proved decisive. Padjen's scoring, coupled with 5 assists and 2 steals, was bolstered by Urban Kroflic's 14 points and 6 assists.
For Belgium, Feie Tallir battled for 15 points, supported by Guillaume De Mol's 13 points and 7 rebounds, but their meagre 8 assists and 15 turnovers hampered their efforts.
This victory sends a strong statement for Slovenia, asserting their potential in the tournament.