By Josh Cohen Aug. 7, 2016
It didn’t take long for the Croatian national basketball team to make headlines at the 2016 Olympics in Rio.
Bojan Bogdanovic posted 23 points and Dario Saric secured Croatia’s stunning 72-70 win over Spain with a block on Pau Gasol at the buzzer. Mario Hezonja scored five points and drilled a huge 3-pointer at the end of the first half.
Beating the No. 2 ranked team in the world is momentous for Croatia. They showed incredible resilience after trailing by as many as 14 in the third quarter and the team’s balance and depth was on display all night.
Luka Babic had the game’s most memorable basket when he slammed home a go-ahead dunk with 6:25 remaining in the fourth. It gave Croatia its first lead since it was 4-0 in the early moments.
Roko Ukic drilled a pair of 3-pointers in the second half that helped shift momentum and Darko Planinic (11 points, six rebounds) was a handful down low. Hezonja played excellent defense on Spain’s perimeter players, including Rudy Fernandez and Juan Carlos Navarro who were both held scoreless.
Croatia shot 53 percent from the field and out-rebounded Spain, 41-30.
Nikola Mirotic pulled Spain within one when he knocked down a three with 12 seconds left. Saric made 1-of-2 from the free throw line before his signature defensive play on Gasol.
Croatia, which has now won four straight dating back to the Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Italy, will take on Argentina in Group B action on Tuesday at 9:30 p.m. ET.
