Dragić, Slovenia's EuroBasket run ends in quarterfinals

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Goran Dragić's EuroBasket 2022 run is over.

On Wednesday, Poland ousted the newly-signed Chicago Bulls guard's native Slovenia by a score of 90-87, a stunning upset in the quarterfinal round.

The game hardly followed a conventional script. Fueled by infernal 3-point shooting and a string of fastbreak buckets off of Slovenia turnovers, Poland built as much as a 23-point first-half advantage and led 58-39 at the break.

Slovenia then responded with a 24-6 third quarter and continued the onslaught into the early part of the fourth, leading 73-68 with 6:58 remaining.

However, Poland punched back, reclaiming leads of eight points at the 2:37 mark and nine points with 52 seconds to play. Multiple Slovenian gasps — the last of which was punctuated by a Dragić layup to cut the deficit to three at the 31 second mark — threatened an improbable finish, but a half-court heave by Klemen Prepelič fell short just before the final horn, and the result was written in stone.

Denver Nuggets forward Vlatko Cančar led Slovenia in scoring with 21 points. Luka Dončić, normally brilliant in international play, tallied 14 points, 11 rebounds and 7 assists, but also committed 6 turnovers, shot 5-for-15 from the field and fouled out with 3:02 remaining in regulation.

Meanwhile, Mateusz Ponitka headlined Poland's effort. He notched a 26-point, 16-rebound, 10-assist triple double, buried five 3-pointers and drew a critical charge on Dragić with 69 seconds to play — one of two turnovers by Dragić in the game's final three minutes.

Dragić, who returned from retirement from international play to participate in Slovenia's run, finished his final game with 17 points (7-for-15 shooting), 5 rebounds, 4 assists and 5 turnovers, bringing his averages for the tournament to 14.9 points, 3.7 assists, 3.6 rebounds, 2.6 turnovers and 1.6 steals in seven appearances. He shot 49.4 percent from the field, 35 percent from 3-point range and 65 percent from the free-throw line.

In all, it was a solid showing from the 36-year-old, albeit with a sour end for a team many had pegged as a resounding favorite. Dragić won MVP for leading Slovenia to a EuroBasket title in 2017, the last time the tournament was held.

Poland moves on to face France in the semifinals, with Germany and Spain looming across the bracket, setting up a surprising final four. Serbia, led by Nikola Jokić, and Greece, led by Giannis Antetokounmpo, were also eliminated in the quarterfinals.

As for Dragić: His focus now shifts to the start of the NBA season. Training camps open in the last week of September, and he'll be expected to contribute to a Bulls backcourt that could be without starting point guard Lonzo Ball to start the campaign.

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