Commitment, hard work, and sheer enthusiasm show up without any transitional stages. Spain’s golden moment at EuroBasket 2022 stands as a lasting testament to a team that anchored its win in a tradition of excellence. It was a spectacular triumph, a memory destined to be handed down through generations. The victory celebrated the convergence of individual stars, many of whom shine in the NBA, such as Giannis Antetokounmpo, Luka Dončić, and Nikola Jokić, with a group that refused to be measured by individual brilliance alone and chose to honor their recent history. The final score against France, 88-76, crystallized that collective mindset.
The title Spain captured this Sunday is priceless. A lineage built by the likes of Pau Gasol, Felipe Reyes, and Juan Carlos Navarro reached the pinnacle through extraordinary talent. The fresh generation, seven players assembled in record time by coach Sergio Scariolo, injected life into every expectation and energized the team. No one gave them a chance beyond the locker room, yet the belief of the Scariolo crew could move mountains.
Another generation—same result—Campé en EuroBasket, a chorus of voices ready to BringTheNoise. The message echoed through social channels, underscoring the enduring impact of this victory.
Juancho Hernangómez emerged as the night’s unexpected hero. His performance, a 27-point barrage with a 9-for-7 shooting run from deep, delivered a defining moment and earned MVP consideration. Surrounding him, the Scariolo squad leaned on a balance of scorers and playmakers: Willy Hernangómez contributed 14 points and eight rebounds, Lorenzo Brown added 14 points and 11 assists and was later recognized as tournament MVP, Jaime Fernández supplied 13 points, and Alberto Díaz chipped in eight, with crucial contributions during pivotal stretches.
Willy Hernangómez’s presence underscored Spain’s strength as a collective unit, where multiple players stepped forward to shoulder responsibility in critical moments. The team’s cohesion allowed them to translate early momentum into sustained pressure as the game unfolded. The defensive effort and smart rotations disrupted France’s rhythm, limiting Rudy Gobert’s effectiveness and enabling the Spaniards to tighten their grip on the contest.
Spain’s early surge set a tone of dominance that the team would sustain through the first half, contributing to a 47-26 lead at one point. Hernangómez’s hot start helped fuel a sequence of precise attacks that the French squad struggled to answer. France found a brief lifeline through Evan Fournier, whose scoring burst sparked a late push before halftime, narrowing the gap to 47-37.
Storm
France adjusted and capitalized on a handful of Spain’s dips in focus to close the gap. Scariolo’s rotation faced a moment of doubt, and the opponents tightened the score to 51-46 with a sustained physical run. Jaime Fernández answered with two clutch three-pointers that steadied the team and reasserted control as the fourth quarter approached. France grew tenser, but Spain’s lead remained intact, standing at 66-57 as the game entered its final stretch with diminishing ideas for the French attack.
Only Fournier and Heurtel managed to threaten a comeback for a stretch, but Juancho Hernangómez re-emerged in the closing minutes, sealing a spectacular celebratory finish after a tournament that had begun with uncertainty. The final moments confirmed Spain’s capacity to convert pressure into triumph, a testament to the depth and resilience of the roster. The team’s victory resonated far beyond the gym, signaling a new chapter in European basketball where Spain’s ladder of success is defined by collective achievement as much as individual brilliance [EFE].