00:12Jordan Lloyd wasted little time making an impact for Poland.
00:26After gaining citizenship ahead of last year's
00:29FIBA Eurobasket, the American-born guard became one of the faces of the co-host's run to the quarterfinals.
00:41Leading the team with 22 points per game, including 32 in its opening day victory against Slovenia
00:47and 28 in a win over Bosnia and Herzegovina in the round of 16.
00:52Oh, what a play of my boys.
00:55He didn't do it alone.
00:58Poland again lent on Mateusz Ponitka three years after his unforgettable triple-double sunk the Slovenians
01:04and earned his nation a first semifinal berth since 1971.
01:09Ponitka, it's good!
01:11Poland have pulled off the shock of the FIBA Eurobasket.
01:16They have stunned the defending champions.
01:21But though Ponitka delivered again in front of a home crowd, Lloyd's big performances throughout the competition stood out.
01:31A timely emergence for a team which had lost star forward Jeremy Sohan to injury in the lead-up.
01:37Lloyd saying during that run that he thrives on those kinds of high-stakes games.
01:43As a player, I've always loved big moments, you know, do-or-die situations.
01:47Obviously, you know, everybody says, like, pressure, and I always try to say, you know, basketball's not too much pressure.
01:53You know, there's things in real life that are actual pressure, so I'm going to try to enjoy it.
01:58Eurobasket also gave Lloyd his first taste of a major international tournament,
02:02and the welcome he received in Poland made the experience even more meaningful.
02:08How much the people here have embraced me, you know, because they didn't have to do that.
02:12And I think I'll take away the love and all the support that they've given me.
02:17So, that's been really special for me and my family.
02:20So, I think I'll take away just all the embracement and the love.
02:26Lloyd now finds separation, three and again.
02:29Are you kidding me?
02:31The Jordan Lloyd Show.
02:33Incredible.
02:35Now, Poland turns its attention to the second window of FIBA World Cup 2027 European qualifiers, which tip off this
02:43week.
02:44Locks it away.
02:45Ponitka on the breakaway.
02:47For the throwdown.
02:48Ponitka just accumulating numbers.
02:51Both Lloyd and Ponitka have been included in a 16-player preliminary squad,
02:56along with seven others from last year's Eurobasket roster.
03:00Oh, beautiful pass.
03:02But Ponitka just reads the floor.
03:07Also included was Jarek Harding, who received Polish citizenship at the same time as Lloyd,
03:13and debuted with 49 points across victories over Austria and the Netherlands in the first window late last year.
03:20Harding spins, he wheels, he deals for two.
03:26That gave Poland a strong platform heading into a testing pair of clashes with Latvia on the road on February
03:3327,
03:33before the home clash three nights later.
03:36Two more wins would be enough to secure passage to the second round,
03:40something Poland was unable to achieve in 2023 World Cup qualifying.
03:55With either Harding or Lloyd providing scoring punch,
03:59Ponitka as the versatile talisman,
04:01and a core that has already shown it can compete with Europe's best,
04:05Poland looks well-placed to take the next step towards a World Cup berth.
04:09Boys, another three.
04:11Don't be genuine.
04:13Goodbye.
Comments