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LIMASSOL, Cyprus: Spain are in danger of not getting out of Group C after losing 67-63 to Italy on Tuesday, but the defending EuroBasket champions still control their destiny.

Marco Spissu put Italy in front for good at 64-63 with two free throws with 31 seconds left and made two more with 14 seconds remaining. Giampaolo Ricci converted one of two free throws with eight seconds on the clock.

Spain, who in 2022 won their fourth title, are tied with Georgia and Bosnia and Herzegovina at 2-2 each. Greece and Italy have clinched two of the group’s four spots in the round of 16. But Georgia play Bosnia and Herzegovina on Thursday, so if Spain defeat Greece that same day, the Spaniards will advance.

The knockout phase will be in Riga, Latvia, from Sept. 6-14. Spain beat France 88-76 in the 2022 final.

Mouhamet Diouf led a balanced Italian attack with 14 points, Ricci added 11 points and Saliou Niang had 10 points and 10 rebounds. The Cleveland Cavaliers drafted Niang in the second round this year.

Santi Aldama, who plays for the Memphis Grizzlies, led Spain with 19 points and 10 rebounds. Sergio de Larrea scored 15 points.

Avdija’s leads Israel into knockout stage

Deni Avdija led the way with 22 points as Israel reached the knockout stage with a 92-89 win over Belgium, when Slovenia and France also advanced. Poland are also into the next round from Group D.

Luka Doncic scored 26 points as Slovenia overcame Iceland 87-79 to reach the last 16, qualifying France along the way. The Los Angeles Lakers star was just 2 of 10 from 3-point range.

Avdija, a Portland Trail Blazers forward, scored 23 points Sunday when Israel stunned Paris Olympics silver medalist France 82-69. This time, Maccabi Tel Aviv center Roman Sorkin backed him up with 18 points.

Israel led by 21 points at one stage in the Polish city of Katowice before Belgium closed the gap.

With four seconds left, Yam Madar sank two free throws to give Israel a 92-87 lead and ensure a tense victory that put Israel provisionally top of Group D.

Loic Schwartz hit four three-pointers among his 14 points for Belgium.

Antetokounmpo rests and Greece lose

Greece lost 80-77 to Bosnia and Herzegovina for their first Group C defeat.

The Greeks had already qualified for the last 16 and star forward Giannis Antetokounmpo was rested in Limassol because of some knee discomfort.

Head coach Vassilis Spanoulis told Greek public broadcaster ERT that Antetokounmpo should be available to play Thursday against Spain.

Utah Jazz center Jusuf Nurkic and John Roberson both had 18 points for Bosnia and Herzegovina, which improved to 2-2 in the group phase.

Georgia kept their qualifying chances alive with a 93-61 rout of co-hosts Cyprus, who are winless. Barcelona forward Tornike Shengelia scored 27 points for Georgia and Orlando Magic center Goga Bitadze had 21 points and 13 rebounds.

Yabusele scores 36 to lead France past Poland

Guerschon Yabusele made 6 of 12 3-pointers and scored 36 points to help France defeat Poland 83-76.

Yabusele, who started 43 games for the Philadelphia 76ers last season, also had six rebounds.

Élie Okobo added 14 points and 10 assists for France and Jaylen Hoard scored 10 points.

Jordan Loyd led Poland with 18 points, Mateusz Ponitka scored 16 points and Michał Sokołowski finished with 15.

NEW YORK: Carlos Alcaraz powered into the US Open semifinals to set up a potential showdown with Novak Djokovic on Tuesday as Jessica Pegula punched her ticket to the last four.
Alcaraz needed just one hour and 56 minutes to seal a convincing 6-4, 6-2, 6-4 defeat of Czech 20th seed Jiri Lehecka on the Arthur Ashe Stadium court.
The Spanish second seed could now face a blockbuster semifinal against 24-time Grand Slam champion Djokovic, who takes on American fourth seed Taylor Fritz in Tuesday’s other quarter-final.
Alcaraz could reclaim the world number one ranking with a victorious campaign in New York, a fact he is trying not to dwell on.
“Every time I step onto the court I try not to think about it,” he said. “If I think about the number one spot too much I think I’m going to put pressure on myself and I don’t want to do that.”
Alcaraz has not dropped a set during a relentless march into the semifinals and was once again in complete control against Lehecka.
The 22-year-old — who won the first of his five Grand Slam singles title at Flushing Meadows in 2022 — broke Lehecka in the opening game before wrapping up the first set with ease.
Alcaraz, efficient on his own serve in the first set, then raced away with the second set, breaking Lehecka to take a 5-2 lead before holding to take a 2-0 advantage.
The third set went with serve until the ninth game, when Lehecka smacked a straightforward forehand long at 30-40 down and was broken for the fourth time in the match.
That left Alcaraz serving for the match, and he duly held to love, sealing his win with a scorching forehand into the corner.
In the women’s draw on Tuesday, American fourth seed Pegula — beaten in the final last year — advanced to the semifinals with a 6-3, 6-3 defeat of unseeded Czech Barbora Krejcikova.
Pegula entered the US Open on the back of a dismal run of form that had seen her make early exits at WTA tournaments in Washington, Montreal and Cincinnati.
But she has rediscovered her confidence while moving stealthily through the rounds at New York, albeit against a series of unseeded opponents.
“I think I’ve been playing some really good tennis,” Pegula said after completing a 1hr 26min victory.
“It’s crazy to feel this comfortable on the biggest court in the world with the craziest crowd and the best players. It’s something that 10 years ago I never thought I’d be good at this but I guess I am.”
Pegula will play reigning US Open champion Aryna Sabalenka or former Wimbledon winner Marketa Vondrousova on Thursday for a place in the final.
World number one Sabalenka, who defeated Pegula in last year’s US Open final, faces Vondrousova in Tuesday’s late women’s quarter-final.
Pegula said she would welcome the chance to avenge last year’s final defeat to Sabalenka.
“I think it would be cool to be able to get revenge, obviously,” she said.