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ESPOO (Finland) – Lauri Markkanen dropped 31 points as Finland dismissed Belgium 92-74 to seal their 500th international win emphatically.
Markkanen added 5 rebounds and 2 steals to his stat line to secure Finland’s second win in preparation for FIBA EuroBasket 2025.
This game also held significant meaning for veteran Sasu Salin, as it marked the 15th anniversary of his debut with the Finland national team. He added 17 points in the same venue where he started his journey with the Susijengi.
Hans Vanwijn led Belgium with 15 points as they dropped their third game in preparation for EuroBasket, where they will be in Group D in Katowice, Poland.
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Top performers: Markkanen was outstanding once again for Finland, dropping a whopping 31 points to back up to 48 against the same opponent in the last game. Salin brought up his 15th year with a stellar performance as well with 17. For Belgium, Vanwijn impressed with 15 points, going 5-for-13 from the floor, to go along with 5 rebounds and 4 assists.
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Up next: Finland will head to Sosnowiec, where they play Poland on Sunday, August 17, in the first of two games. Belgium travels home next, as they play Great Britain in Ostend on Friday, August 15.
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This latest victory also brought up the 500th win for Finland as they prepare for their 18th appearance at EuroBasket this summer.
From their humble beginnings in 1939 to now, Finland has grown into one of international basketball’s most promising nations. A seventh-place finish at EuroBasket 2022, backed up by two appearances at the FIBA Basketball World Cup, has showcased their growth.
They aim to secure a best-ever finish this year, beginning in their own backyard in Tampere.
Milestone
Event
Game
Score
1st international game
FIBA EuroBasket 1939
Finland vs France
73-11 (L)
1st win
FIBA Basketball World Cup 1950 Qualifiers
Finland vs Austria
38-34 (W)
50th win
Friendly, January 15, 1961
Sweden vs Finland
54-46 (W)
100th win
Friendly, April 8, 1966
Finland vs Norway
109-39 (W)
200th win
Friendly, January 7, 1979
Finland vs Bulgaria
101-94 (W)
300th win
FIBA EuroBasket 1993 Qualifiers
Finland vs Albania
89-81 (W)
400th win
Friendly, July 31, 2009
Estonia vs Finland
90-72 (W)
500th win
Friendly, August 11, 2025
Finland vs Belgium
92-74 (W)
FIBA