Celtics at FIBA: Neemias Queta shines brightest among Boston's international talent

Neemias Queta, Hugo Gonzalez, and Luka Garza all played on the international stage on Monday.

Queta continues to shine in the FIBA spotlight. Some may have wondered if he'd even be available after what happened entering the weekend.

Friday, he generated 16 points, nine rebounds, and two steals in Portugal's 95-89 win over Gonzalez and Spain. However, the Boston Celtics' starting center -- and the initial plan is for it to stay that way -- left in the final frame.

The reason was an ankle injury. Fortunately, it appears to be minor. The Lynx's head coach, Mario Gomes, told reporters that it was just a matter of being "precautionary."

Neemias Queta dominates in FIBA action

As he continues fighting to help keep his country's World Cup hopes alive, Queta stuffed the stat sheet on Monday against Georgia.

The 27-year-old from Lisbon produced 20 points, a team high. His 11 rebounds and four blocks were both game highs. He also dished out three assists and swiped a steal.

Unfortunately for Portugal, they lost in a slugfest against Georgia, 98-90. The Lynxes are fourth in their group, with 12 points, the same amount as Montenegro and Greece. The nation they just lost to is tied with Spain with 13 points. Former Celtic Svi Mykhailiuk and Ukraine sit atop the standings with 14 points. 

Two windows remain in the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2027 European Qualifiers: November 2026 and February 2027. Teams will play twice in each window. At the end, the top three in each group will have earned a spot in the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2027.

Hugo Gonzalez's FIBA showing for Spain

Unfortunately for Boston's burgeoning wing, his playing time sharply declined.

The Madrid native logged nearly 24 minutes in Friday's loss to Portugal. Monday, his time on the floor shrunk to under 11 minutes. While on the court, he tallied four points, three rebounds, and a block. Gonzalez went 1/4 from the field.

As for his team, they were on the wrong side of an instant classic. Former Celtic Juancho Hernangomez initially kept Spain's hopes alive. He propelled the visitors to overtime with late-game heroics from beyond the arc.

After his pull-up triple evened the score at 86, the two sides continued to trade blows in the fifth frame. However, Greece built a six-point edge with 1:15 left. That was enough cushion to survive, 108-106. It's a win that keeps their World Cup hopes intact.

Luka Garza shines at FIBA for Bosnia and Herzegovina

Last season was a breakthrough for Luka Garza. He finally got the chance to prove he belongs in the NBA and can make an impact when he gets an opportunity.

"If anything, this is a lot of fuel that's added to a fire that's pretty well burning already," said Garza at his exit interview.

This summer, he was among the first to take advantage of the National Basketball Players Association's [NBPA] first player-owned, 24/7 performance center in Los Angeles. It helped prepare him for another opportunity he had been waiting for: the chance to represent Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Garza poured in 14 points and grabbed seven rebounds on Monday. He made five of his 10 field goals, including two of his four three-point attempts. Unfortunately, his team fell 78-73 to Lithuania.

Still, like Queta, it has been encouraging to see how this Celtics center is performing on the FIBA stage.

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Follow