Rockets' Alperen Sengun, Turkey Grab EuroBasket Win vs. Nikola Jokic, Serbia

Sengun versus Jokic was perhaps the most anticipated matchup of group play, and could end up being the game of the tournament barring the knockout rounds. The two NBA stars battled in out in a classic game, putting up vintage stat lines in the process. To the surprise of many, it was the man dubbed 'Baby Jokic' who reigned supreme in this match.

The 23-year-old put up an incredible 28 points, 13 rebounds and eight assists while shooting 10-for-17 from the field and 4-for-7 from three. Jokic, on the other hand, also impressed but couldn't quite do what Sengun did. He finished with 22 points, nine rebounds, four assists and three steals, shooting 10-for-16 from the field.

Both players had plenty of help from teammates, but even Turkish point guard Shane Larkin just about matched Jokic, putting up 23 points and nine assists in the win. While many expected Serbia to win Group A with ease, Turkey has gone from a team hoping to simply make a playoff run to a legitimate title contender.

The Rockets' center has been doing it all for his home country thus far, averaging 21.6 points, 9.6 rebounds and 6.8 assists per game. All three of those statistical categories rank in the top six of the tournament, making a strong case for the MVP of EuroBasket 2025.

Turkey will play its Round of 16 game on Sept. 6 at 4 a.m. CT. Sengun and company will face Sweden, led by Miami Heat guard Pelle Larsson. In group play, Sweden barely did enough to make the knockout round, going 1-4. The first-round matchup should favor Sengun and Turkey by a wide margin, but anything can happen in EuroBasket.