GB OVERCOME DUTCH IN EUROBASKET QUALIFIER
Great Britain got their FIBA EuroBasket 2025 Qualifying campaign off to a winning start by beating the Netherlands 98-94 at the Vertu Motors Arena on Friday night.
Leading by as many as 21 points, things looked rosy for GB in front of a vocal crowd in Newcastle. But the visitors would claw their way back.
The Dutch narrowed the gap to as little as 82-80 with 4:23 remaining, which tested the character of Marc Steutel’s side.
Despite the pressure, a bucket from Luke Nelson followed by three-pointers from Akwasi Yeboah and Patrick Whelan lifted GB to an opening night victory in Group F.
“I’m exceptionally delighted, proud of my young team and I think we have had an evolution of a new group,” Steutel said. “Learning how to win at this level is a skill in itself and we understand how competitive every game is at this level.
“Do we want to play a cleaner second half? Absolutely, for sure, but credit to the Netherlands they did a great job of making plays and staying in the game.
“However, I thought when it came down to making key winning basketball plays, I was exceptionally proud of how my group did that.”
Myles Hesson hit his first seven shots, settling for 7/8 from the field to lead GB with 23 points. Yeboah added 17 and Nelson posted a double-double of 14 points and 12 assists.
“We had players reminding us that this is a 40-minute game, there is going to be ups and downs,” Nelson said.
“We had some ups early, the Netherlands had their ups late on, but we withstood it and finished strong and that’s what won it for us.”
Keye K. van Der Vuurst led the Netherlands with 23 points.
A positive start from the hosts saw them hit three of their first four shots for a 7-3 lead despite losing starter Patrick Whelan early, falling awkwardly and injuring his thumb. He would return later on in the opening quarter.
The Netherlands stayed in contention in the first four minutes thanks to two triples from Yannick Franke, but GB were in the ascendancy throughout the first ten.
Swift ball movement led to open looks, which resulted in solid execution for Great Britain, as they went 4/5 from deep, along with individual standouts for Nelson and Carl Wheatle, each with seven points after the first.
GB shot nearly 67% from the field as they took a 28-23 advantage going into the second, which quickly grew to double figures in the opening moments through five unanswered points from Wheatle.
It only got better for coach Steutel’s side, as their lead ballooned to 20 points thanks to the energetic Sacha Killeya-Jones inside.
However, there was cause for concern for Great Britain as the Dutch, who had struggled to find their footing in the first 15 minutes, heated up.
Emmanuel Nzekwesi hit seven straight points as part of an 8-0 run by the visitors to reduce the deficit to 49-37 late on.
Hesson halted the Netherlands’ burst with back-to-back scores, but veteran Charlon Kloof ended the first half with a triple from the corner on the buzzer.
Heading into the third quarter, GB still enjoyed a comfortable 55-41 advantage, as Killeya-Jones got his side off to the best possible start with a mid-range jumper.
The Surne Bilbao Basket forward followed that with a two-hand rejection as Nzekwesi went for the dunk. And he wasn’t done yet.
With four minutes played in the third, Killeya-Jones caught the lob from Nelson with two hands to hammer home.
Offensively clinical but defensively, Great Britain let the Dutch back into it as a 21-point lead shrunk to 71-66 heading into the fourth.
With a 20-4 run from the Netherlands and momentum firmly in their favour, the near full house inside the Vertu Motors Arena began to sweat.
Enter Hesson as he hit five quick points to create separation, but it was only momentarily.
The Netherlands would hit back to narrow the gap to two points, but GB held firm and found their second wind when it was needed most.
“This is a new group for us and our focus this week was to try and gel,” Wheatle, who had 12 points, said.
“We know we let it slip a bit in the second half but we kept our heads to get a win and that’s the most important thing for us at this stage.”
The other Group F game saw Greece beat Czechia 72-64. GB will now travel to the latter for their second game on Monday.