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Italy made it five wins in a row at the FIBA EuroBasket Championships to progress into the second round in style on Monday. The Italians had already sealed their spot in the next stage of the competition but finished the group stages with a perfect record after edging Sweden 82-79 in Slovenia. Italy burst out of the blocks and took a 27-20 lead into the first change, but the Swedes, who will leave the tournament with just one win from five matches, put up a valiant fight. A second quarter burst - inspired by Jeffery Taylor (28 points, seven rebounds) and Jonas Jerebko (21 points, eight rebounds) - saw Sweden claim a surprise 48-43 lead at half-time. Italy were always likely to come back though and that they did, levelling scores up at the final change as Alessandro Gentile (19 points) and Pietro Aradori (16 points, seven rebounds) stepped up. A thrilling final quarter was in store but it was Italy who would post another victory, continuing their superb run at the event. ...

Czech Republic and Croatia will go head-to-head in EuroBasket's Group C for a final shot at a second-round berth on Monday. With the top three teams in all four groups set to qualify for the second round of the European basketball championships in Slovenia, Croatia sit third in Group C on seven points, one point ahead of fourth-placed Czech Republic. The Czechs will be hoping Washington Wizards forward Jan Vesely can inspire them to victory over Croatia with neither country having reached the second round at EuroBasket 2011. Vesely is Czech Republic's highest scorer in Slovenia so far with 74 points at an average of 18.5 per game, which leaves him third on the overall scoring standings for the tournament. Bojan Bogdanovic, the Fenerbahce shooting guard, is Croatia's leading scorer at EuroBasket 2013 and is level with Vesely, while Macedonia's Bo McCalebb leads the way with 80 points at an average of 20. Croatia last qualified for the second round of a EuroBasket to...

Czech Republic and Croatia will go head-to-head in EuroBasket's Group C for a final shot at a second-round berth on Monday. With the top three teams in all four groups set to qualify for the second round of the European basketball championships in Slovenia, Croatia sit third in Group C on seven points, one point ahead of fourth-placed Czech Republic. The Czechs will be hoping Washington Wizards forward Jan Vesely can inspire them to victory over Croatia with neither country having reached the second round at EuroBasket 2011. Vesely is Czech Republic's highest scorer in Slovenia so far with 74 points at an average of 18.5 per game, which leaves him third on the overall scoring standings for the tournament. Bojan Bogdanovic, the Fenerbahce shooting guard, is Croatia's leading scorer at EuroBasket 2013 and is level with Vesely, while Macedonia's Bo McCalebb leads the way with 80 points at an average of 20. Croatia last qualified for the second round of a EuroBasket to...