WC Qualifiers: Austria Shock, Slovenia Comeback, Croatia Fall in OT

The latest window of the FIBA World Cup Qualifiers delivered exactly what fans crave – drama, big comebacks, and heartbreaking finishes. The national teams of Croatia, Slovenia, and Austria experienced three very different stories: a stunning road win for Austria, a resilient comeback victory for Slovenia in Czechia, and a painful overtime defeat for Croatia in Bonn.

Croatia was just seconds away from a huge away victory against Germany, but eventually suffered a narrow 91–89 defeat after overtime in Bonn. The game ended 77–77 in regulation, before the hosts prevailed in the extra period.

Croatia controlled large stretches of the game and even built a 15-point lead in the second half, playing with great confidence and balance on offense. Mario Hezonja led the way with an outstanding 30-point performance, while Roko Badžim added 14 points. Jaleen Smith filled the stat sheet with 12 points, 9 rebounds, and 9 assists on perfect shooting from the field, while Luka Božić also finished in double figures.

Germany, despite missing several stars, showed great character late in the game. Captain Johannes Thiemann was dominant with 24 points and 12 rebounds, while Oscar da Silva and Jack Kayil provided important support. The key difference came on the offensive glass, where Germany grabbed 19 offensive rebounds compared to Croatia’s three.

Despite the defeat, Croatia remains tied at the top of Group E with three wins and one loss, level with Germany.

Slovenia produced one of the most impressive performances of the round, coming back from a 19-point deficit to beat Czechia 86–84 on the road and stay top of Group H.

After a difficult first half, Slovenia turned the game around with an excellent third quarter, showing composure and intensity on both ends of the floor. Veteran Klemen Prepelič was the driving force behind the comeback and sealed the win with two clutch free throws in the final seconds. He finished with 20 points, while young guard Žiga Samar played a crucial supporting role with 15 points.

For the home side, Tomáš Kyzlink led Czechia with 22 points, but Slovenia’s depth and experience proved decisive in the closing moments.

With this win, Slovenia claimed its third victory of the qualifiers and strengthened its grip on first place in the group.

Austria pulled off one of the biggest surprises of the window by defeating the Netherlands 88–87 away from home, claiming their first win in Group F in dramatic fashion.

The Dutch entered the game as favorites and were close to sealing qualification for the next round, but Austria stayed in touch throughout the contest and showed remarkable composure in the final moments. With just 2.8 seconds left on the clock, Timo Lanmüller buried a clutch three-pointer to snatch a sensational victory for the visitors.

Fynn Schott led Austria with a strong double-double of 19 points and 11 rebounds, while Lanmüller’s game-winning shot instantly became one of the highlights of the entire qualifying window. For the Netherlands, Yannick Franke and Keye van der Vuurst scored 17 points each, but it wasn’t enough to prevent a heartbreaking defeat.

This win keeps Austria’s qualification hopes alive and adds even more intrigue to Group F ahead of the next round of games.

FIBA Basketball World Cup 2027 Qualifiers, First Round Group E, Round 4, Sunday, 1 March 2026:

GERMANY - Croatia 91:89 (22:24, 19:26, 21:17, 15:10, 14:12)
Thieman 24, Da Silva 15 | Hezonja 30, Badžim 14.

Group F:

Netherlands – AUSTRIA 87:88 (23:18, 27:25, 17:18, 20:27)
Vujošević 23, Schott 15 | Van der Vuurst 25, Hollanders 11.

Group H:

Czechia - SLOVENIA 84:86 (27:21, 27:15, 9:27, 21:23)
Kyzlink 22, Satoransky 15 | Prepelič 20, Samar 15.