Arizonaโs Kerr Kriisa received his crack at NBA All-Star Luka Doncic on Thursday and, not surprisingly, didnโt back down.
Kriisa scored 14 points in Estoniaโs 104-83 loss to Doncic and Slovenia in a 2023 FIBA World Cup qualifying game Thursday, and reportedly went after Doncic verbally early in the game.
According to a report in Basketball News, that may have backfired.
โEstonia was leading late in the first quarter, 23-18, until Kerr Kriisa started talking trash to Doncic,โ Basketball News reported. โSoon after, Doncic led Slovenia on a 17-0 run, giving them a 35-23 lead.โ
Doncic finished with 25 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists while Kriisa scored his 14 points while hitting 4 of 11 3-pointers, and dished five assists to four turnovers.
Earlier this summer, Arizona teammate Pelle Larsson faced Doncic in Swedenโs 84-81 loss to Slovenia in the qualifiers, collecting seven points and four rebounds while guarding Doncic often.
Thursdayโs game was Kriisaโs first game in the World Cup qualifiers, since he missed games against Israel and Germany earlier this summer while working out at Arizona. He left UA earlier this month to prepare for national team play, and wound up starting Thursdayโs game.
UAโs other Estonian player, freshman big man Henri Veesaar, has reported to Tucson for the start of fall semester while Kriisa is beginning the semester remotely.
Kriisa and Estonia (2-4 in World Cup qualifiers) will now face Finland and former UA standout Lauri Markkanen on Sunday at 8 a.m. in Tallinn, Estonia.
