Queta Ejected, Portugal Advances in EuroBasket 2025 Thriller

Riga, Latvia – Boston Celtics center Neemias Queta was ejected from Portugal‘s critical EuroBasket 2025 game against Estonia on Wednesday due to excessive celebration, but his team managed to win 68-65, advancing to the knockout stage.

Queta, the only NBA player on the Portuguese roster, picked up two technical fouls in the match, with the final one occurring after he celebrated a layup that gave Portugal a narrow 38-37 lead in the third quarter. After the layup, Queta was seen flexing and celebrating, which led to the controversial call from the referees.

“It’s very easy to make a call like that against a Portuguese player,” Portugal’s head coach Mario Gomes commented after the game. He acknowledged the uncertainty around the team’s reaction once Queta was ejected but praised their resilience. “I knew the team was going to react. They weren’t going to throw in the towel,” he said.

Before his exit, Queta had scored a game-high 15 points on 5-of-8 shooting, along with three rebounds, one block, and one steal in 22 minutes of play. His performance had been integral to Portugal’s chances in the tournament, where they finished group play with a 2-3 record.

Portugal and Estonia both entered the game with 1-3 records, making the encounter a must-win for both teams. Despite Queta’s ejection, his teammates rallied thanks to key contributions late in the game, including guard Rafael Lisboa, who scored crucial free throws that secured Portugal’s historic advancement.

Estonia’s Kristian Kullamae had one last chance to tie the game in the closing seconds, but his long-range shot missed its mark as Portugal celebrated their first trip to the Round of 16 in EuroBasket history.

With the victory, Portugal will face either Germany or Finland in the knockout round, building on their best performance in EuroBasket history.