Serbia is out of EuroBasket, eliminated by Finland in the Round of 16. It’s their second straight EuroBasket tournament where they were upset in the Round of 16, and while this one was primarily driven by Lauri Markkanen’s 29 points and eight rebounds, he did have help. Youngsters Miro Little and Miikka Muurinen stepped up for Finland.
With Bogdan Bogdanovic sidelined for Serbia, a lot of question marks hung over Serbia’s backcourt. Their point guard rotation of Vasilije Micic, Stefan Jovic, and Aleksa Avramovic was experienced but also old, slow, and lacking in creativity. In this void, Finland and the new UC Santa Barbara point guard, Little, stepped up. Little finished the game with 13 points, eight rebounds, and six assists. He played with a verve that Serbia’s geriatric point guards simply could not match.
Little finished with three turnovers, but also three steals. It was a solid shooting game for him, 3-of-5 from deep, but simply put, he was the best point guard on the floor. He set the tempo on both sides of the ball, controlled the game, and bailed out his team’s star when they needed it. The same can’t be said for Serbia’s point guards.
Little wasn’t the only pre-draft player to step up for Finland. 18-year-old Miikka Muurinen, who turned 18 earlier this year, hit some big shots as well. Muurinen finished with nine points on 2-of-4 shooting from deep, and his long, wiry frame has been a walking highlight reel for much of the tournament. His name has been floating in 2026 and 2027 NBA Draft circles, and what he’s done this summer has certainly helped his stock.
Jan 3, 2025; Gilbert, AZ, USA; Arizona Compass Prep forward Miikka Muurinen (1) against CIA Bella Vista (AZ) during the Hoophall West High School Invitational at Highland High School. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images / Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
It is worth noting that Muurinen hasn’t been perfect. He’s only played 10 minutes per game and, as an 18-year-old, comes with high highs and low lows. He took a swing at Serbian guard Marko Guduric and was lucky to avoid a tech that could’ve tipped the scales of this matchup back in Serbia’s favor. His smooth shot and touch, alongside his size and athleticism for his age, make him a very intriguing prospect, but at the highest level of international hoops, his immaturity does show.
Finland faces Georgia in the quarterfinals now, and has a great chance to make the semifinals, where they will face the winner of Slovenia and Germany – two more European basketball powerhouses. With this win over Serbia, Little and Muurinen have caught the attention of scouts and onlookers and given themselves great chances to impress even more for the rest of the tournament. This team will always revolve around Markannen, but quality support could be coming for the star forward sooner rather than later.
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