Former Spartan Szymon Zapala to play for Poland in EuroBasket 2025 event
A former Spartan is set to play for his national team in the upcoming EuroBasket 2025 games.
Former Michigan State big man Szymon Zapala has made the Polish national team roster for the upcoming 2025 EuroBasket tournament. The official roster was announced earlier this week, with the former Spartan making the cut.
Zapala played one year for the Spartans after transferring from Longwood last offseason. He started 36 games for the Spartans in his lone year with the program, averaging 4.3 points and 4 rebound across 14.1 minutes per game. Before coming to Michigan State, he played three seasons at Utah State and one at Longwood.
EuroBasket 2025 is set to tip off in late-August and run through mid-September. The games are annually held, with 24 teams set to participate in this year's event. Poland is the No. 3 seed in Group D, which consists of Iceland, France, Slovenia, Belgium and Israel.
Contact/Follow us @The SpartansWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Michigan State news, notes and opinion. You can also follow Robert Bondy on X @RobertBondy5.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Business Upturn
29 minutes ago
- Business Upturn
Who is Chloe Kelly? The star who sparked England's Euro 2025 win over Spain
Chloe Kelly has cemented her status as one of England's most iconic footballers, delivering a standout performance in the thrilling Euro 2025 final against Spain. The Arsenal forward's heroics, including a crucial assist and the winning penalty in a 3-1 shootout victory, helped the Lionesses retain their European title. But who is Chloe Kelly, and what makes her such a game-changer? This article dives into her journey and defining moments at Euro 2025. Early Life and Rise to Stardom Born on January 15, 1998, in London, Chloe Kelly grew up in a football-loving family with five brothers who fueled her competitive spirit. She began her career at Arsenal's academy but made a bold move to Everton at age 20, seeking regular first-team action. Her determination paid off, and after a stint at Everton, she joined Manchester City in 2020, where she became a key player in the Women's Super League (WSL). Kelly's resilience shone through after a serious ACL injury in 2021, which sidelined her for months. Her relentless work ethic, evident in grueling gym sessions, ensured her return to top form, earning her a spot in England's Euro 2022 squad. Euro 2022: The Breakthrough Moment Chloe Kelly etched her name in football history during the UEFA Women's Euro 2022 final. Coming off the bench, she scored the decisive goal in extra time against Germany, securing England's first major trophy since 1966. Her iconic shirt-waving celebration at Wembley became a defining image of the Lionesses' triumph, showcasing her flair and fearless personality. Euro 2025: A Hero Again Fast forward to July 27, 2025, and Chloe Kelly once again proved her clutch mentality in the Euro 2025 final in Basel. England faced a formidable Spain side, the reigning world champions, who took the lead through Mariona Caldentey's first-half header. Kelly, introduced as a substitute, turned the game around with a pinpoint cross that Alessia Russo headed in to equalize after 57 minutes. The match went to penalties, and with England's usual penalty-takers off the pitch, Kelly stepped up. Her trademark hop, skip, and kick sent the ball past Spain's goalkeeper Cata Coll, sealing a 3-1 shootout win and back-to-back European titles for England. Kelly's impact wasn't limited to the final. Throughout Euro 2025, she excelled as a super-sub, providing crucial assists against Sweden and scoring the winning goal in extra time against Italy in the semi-final after her penalty was saved. Her ability to deliver in high-pressure moments earned her an 8.66/10 rating from fans, the highest in the final. Ahmedabad Plane Crash Aman Shukla is a post-graduate in mass communication . A media enthusiast who has a strong hold on communication ,content writing and copy writing. Aman is currently working as journalist at
Fox Sports
3 hours ago
- Fox Sports
Spain's Aitana Bonmatí Reacts To Losing Euros Final: 'I'm a bit in shock'
Being the most skillful and technically best team at the UEFA Women's Euros wasn't enough to get Spain the title on Sunday. The 2023 World Cup winner and 2024 UEFA Nations League title holder still does not have a European title for its stellar generation after a penalty shootout loss to England in the final after a 1-1 draw after extra time. Spain trailed for just four minutes' play across six games in the entire tournament. England led for barely five minutes' play in its three knockout rounds games – and none against Spain. "We were the best team of the tournament, but sometimes that's not enough," Spain star Aitana Bonmatí said. Bonmatí cut a sad figure walking to the trophy ceremony platform to collect her trophy as the best player of the tournament, which she began days after being hospitalized with a bout of viral meningitis. Bonmatí's spot kick in the shootout was one of two saved by England goalkeeper Hannah Hampton. Mariona Caldentey, whose 25th-minute headed goal seemed to set Spain on track for victory, also had her penalty saved. Caldentey also went close to scoring a second time in the first half, in which tournament top scorer Esther Gonzalez had three chances to score. Early in the second half, Caldentey's Arsenal teammates Chloe Kelly and Alessia Russo combined to level the score on Russo's header. "I'm a bit in shock," Bonmatí said. "It was cruel. We played better, created more scoring chances, but in soccer sometimes that's not enough. It all came down to the penalties." "I'm sorry for my miss," said two-time Ballon d'Or winner Bonmatí, whose teammates Caldentey and Alexia Putellas also failed from the spot in a 2-0 quarterfinal win over Switzerland. "I think this team deserved more. At least not living with this bitter feeling," Spain coach Montse Tomé said in translated comments. Spain captain Irene Paredes said it was "hard to look for the positives so soon. Right now, it's a very tough moment." "England were happy just to reach penalties but, in the shootout, we didn't perform well," said Paredes, whose Barcelona team also lost the Women's Champions League final in May to an English opponent, Arsenal. "To be a champion you need some luck, and I believe they had it." Spain still is a world champion and will soon prepare to start qualifying for the defense of its title. The 2027 World Cup is being played in Brazil. "We will be back," Bonmatí said. "There will be a World Cup in a couple of years, and that's our goal now. This is a golden generation, with a lot of young players." Reporting by The Associated Press. Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account and follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily! recommended Item 1 of 2 Get more from the UEFA Women's EURO Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more in this topic
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Yahoo
Spartans reportedly in communication with high-end 4-star SF prospect
A major small forward prospect in the 2026 class has reportedly been in talks with Michigan State basketball recently. Michigan State was one of a few schools Southside Hoops recently mentioned as being in contact with four-star small forward Anthony Felesi. According to Southside Hoops, Felesi has been "hearing" from Michigan State, Kentucky, Duke, Purdue, Michigan and Missouri recently. Felesi is a high-end four-star prospect, with a recruiting rating of 98.27 in 247Sports' composite system. He ranks as the No. 20 small forward and No. 47 overall prospect in 247Sports' composite rankings. He is also listed as the No. 2 player from Utah. Michigan State has not yet formally extended an offer to Felesi, per 247Sports. He does, however, hold offers from more than 10 schools, including Louisville, UCLA, BYU, LSU, Cal, Oregon, UNLV, Utah, Villanova, Utah State and USF. Michigan State currently holds one commitment in its 2026 class in point guard Carlos Medlock Jr. So we should keep an eye on the Spartans potentially further pursuing Felesi as a small forward prospect. Contact/Follow us @The SpartansWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Michigan State news, notes and opinion. You can also follow Robert Bondy on X @RobertBondy5. This article originally appeared on Spartans Wire: 4-star SF Anthony Felesi reportedly 'hearing from' MSU, Duke, others
