Division A: Italy's Overtime Heroics and a Blistering Slovenia Fourth Quarter Set the Final

Both semifinals at the FIBA U18 EuroBasket produced August 1, 2026 finishes worth remembering, though for very different reasons one a slow-building blowout capped by a monster fourth quarter, the other an instant classic that needed extra time and a buzzer-beater to settle.
Italy's win over France was the tournament's signature moment so far. France led by as many as 14 points with 5:30 left in regulation, and the Azzurri looked cooked until they weren't. Italy tied it at 64-64 with under a minute to go, forced overtime, and then traded haymakers in the extra period: Louka Letailleur (198-F-2008)'s three tied it at 77-77 with one second left, and Edoardo DiMeo (180-PG-2008) simply answered, burying his own buzzer-beating three to steal it, 80-77. Di Meo finished with a game-high 22 points, nine of them in the final 6:57 alone, and was named crunch-time MVP for a stretch in which Italy shot 4-of-7 from three and 6-of-8 from the line down the stretch. Papa Niang (196-G-2008) added 16 points, eight rebounds and five assists, and Thomas Acunzo (207-C-2008) grabbed 13 rebounds despite going scoreless from the field. Madiba Cisse was excellent for France in defeat, posting 11 points, eight rebounds and four blocks without a turnover, but France's 14-point cushion evaporated in a game that saw 14 lead changes before Italy's final answer.
Slovenia's path to the final had none of that drama, but it took three quarters to get there. Spain actually won the second quarter and trailed by just a single point heading into the fourth, keeping the game competitive for three full periods. Then Slovenia simply took over, outscoring Spain 32-16 in the final period to turn a tight contest into a rout, 90-71. Stefan Joksimovic (194-F-2008) led the way with 26 points on 12-of-15 shooting from the line, Maks Ciperle (200-SG-2008) added 16 points and seven rebounds, and Lukas Bojovic (194-F/G-2008) chipped in 15. Diego Niebla (202-F-2008) was nearly unstoppable for Spain, scoring 32 points on 11-of-16 shooting with a perfect trip to the line in the fourth quarter alone, and Chiek Diallo (205-F-2008) posted a 12-point, 10-rebound double-double, but neither could keep pace once Slovenia's fourth-quarter surge took hold.
Italy and Slovenia now meet for the title, while France and Spain will play for bronze.