Spain pounds Serbia 85-63 to win first European basketball title

Spain beats Serbia to win Eurobasket title

KATOWICE, Poland — Pau Gasol had 18 points and 11 rebounds to lead world champion Spain to a 85-63 win over Serbia in the final of the European basketball championship Sunday.

The victory gives Spain its first European title after six runner-up finishes, including a one-point loss two years ago to Russia in front of its home crowd.

The Spaniards dominated from the start on both ends of the court, playing pressure man-to-man defense and getting out on the break for easy baskets to take a 15-point first quarter lead. Serbia never recovered.

Gasol dominated in the paint on both ends, scoring down low and blocking three shots on his way to winning the tournament MVP honors.

Guard Rudy Fernandez chipped in with 13 points for Spain, while Uros Tripkovic led Serbia with 15 points.

Earlier Sunday, Greece slipped past Slovenia 57-56 to win the bronze medal.

In a hard-nosed defensive struggle, Greece used a 14-0 run in the first half to open a 10-point gap and hung on in the closing seconds to win the bronze two years after finishing fourth at the tournament.

“Today the team was very focused,” Greece forward Antonios Fotsis said. “Everybody wanted to play well and at least win the bronze medal. This is a very big success for us.”

Also, France beat Croatia 69-62 behind 18 points from Antoine Diot in the fifth-place game.

Both teams had already qualified for next year’s world championship in Turkey and were only playing to determine the final placings.

Also, guard Vitalii Fridzon scored 26 points to lead Russia past Turkey 89-66 for seventh place at the tournament.