Greece made a resounding statement in their debut at the Basketball World Cup, achieving a commanding 92-71 victory against Jordan. The National Men’s Team showcased their prowess at the “Mall Of Asia Arena” in Manila, setting the tone for their campaign in the tournament’s 3rd group. Led by standout performance Georgios Larentzakis, who contributed 19 crucial points, the Greek squad exhibited their superiority on the court after several mishaps. Lefteris Bochoridis said: “It was a good win for us. We made some mistakes, and in the third quarter, we allowed the opponents to get closer. However, we changed some things, played hard, and now we have two finals ahead of us.”
Despite the absence of Dinos Mitoglou due to a finger injury, the team rallied to secure a remarkable partial score of 11-26 in the fourth quarter. Mitoglou’s injury, a hairline fracture to his left pinkie finger, compelled him to return to Athens for medical evaluations under the care of Panathinaikos’ medical team. His absence leaves the National Team without their top scorer, primary rebounder, and leading minutes contributor in the lead-up to the 2023 World Cup.
Looking ahead, the national team’s upcoming match is scheduled against the United States on Monday, August 28. However, the pivotal fixture that holds the potential to determine the team’s advancement to the “16” phase is against New Zealand on Wednesday, August 30. The quarter scores in the thrilling encounter against Jordan were as follows: 14-19, 33-46, 60-66, 71-92. Jordan initiated the game with a strong performance, holding a 10-4 lead with 7 minutes and 16 seconds remaining in the first period.
Yet, the Greek team responded in kind, neutralising the lead to 10-10 (5:23) and eventually 14-14 (2:50). With a strategic three-pointer by Rogavopoulos and a late layup by Larentzakis at the quarter’s close, Greece surged ahead with a score of 19-14. Continuing their dominance, a three-pointer by Larentzakis and effective free throws by Chatzidakis expanded Greece’s lead to a formidable 23-14, a lead they maintained until halftime with a score of 35-25, punctuated by Vokap’s successful three-pointer 3 minutes and 28 seconds before the break.
A masterful layup by the Olympiacos guard sealed the first half with a score of 46-33, firmly establishing Greece’s control. However, the third quarter witnessed a resurgence from Jordan, reducing the deficit to a mere -4 (56-60) thanks to Hollis-Jefferson’s pivotal basket. A stellar run of five consecutive points by Larentzakis propelled the Greek team to a 66-58 advantage. Yet, Jordan’s Ibrahim capitalised on a late-quarter three-point attempt, narrowing the gap to 66-60 with successful 2 out of 3 free throws.
Entering the fourth quarter, the Greek players showcased their resilience and widened the gap. Giannoulis’ play brought the score to 72-62, 6 minutes and 55 seconds before the final whistle, and Papapetrou’s skillful layup further solidified their lead, reaching +16 (79-63) with 5 minutes and 6 seconds remaining. This significant development tilted the scales in favor of the Greek team.
Compositions:
JORDAN (Wesam Al-Sous): Hawwas, Ibrahim 10 (2), Hmarshekh 1, Bzai 11 (3), Hussein 2, Zaid Abbas 6 (2), Hasem Abbas 1, Kanana, Hollis-Jefferson 24 (1), Alnaynitaoui 2, Douverioglou 14. GREECE (Dimitris Itoudis): Vokap 13 (3), Rogavopoulos 10 (2), Lountzis 7 (1), Larentzakis 19 (3), Bochoridis 4 (1), Papagiannis 8, Papanikolaou 6, Papapetrou 13 (1), Thanasis Antetokounmpo 9 (1), Chatzidakis 3. Referees included Conte from Spain, Kato from Japan, and Atard from Italy.
ITOUDIS’ AND LARENTZAKIS’ STATEMENTS
Satisfied with the victory, the coach of the national team, Dimitris Itoudis, congratulated his players for their dedication and effort against Jordan. “Congratulations to my team for their dedication, the collective effort, and of course for the victory. We didn’t start well, but later we gained the momentum we needed through the toughness we displayed. “We built a lead that showed us how we should play. We forced our opponents into making mistakes during that period and secured the rebounds. In the third quarter, we lost our focus, didn’t utilise our fouls correctly, and conceded 27 points.
“In the end, we played smartly and with the mindset we needed. We had a good premiere, with contributions from everyone, and now we need to focus on the next two games. A big thank you to our fans and the media who came here to support our team.” The 53-year-old coach emphasised that “Jordan hit some three-pointers and got back into the game. They have certain strengths, but we secured 17 offensive rebounds. “Larentzakis was today’s top scorer, but tomorrow it could be anyone. This says a lot about our team. Everyone should be content with their role, and this is crucial in what we are trying to build,” Itoudis said.
Itoudis addressed the upcoming match against the United States, saying: “Against the US, I expect a much tougher game, naturally. They are an exceptional team, playing amazing basketball, and they have built an impressive roster that performs very well defensively. We will try to learn from this match. They have numerous strengths, and we need to be alert in facing them.” Giannoulis Larentzakis weighed in and said: “We made some shots, the whole team performed well offensively throughout the game, we increased the intensity, found a good rhythm in our shots.
“It’s something we work on, and there’s still room for improvement. This was just the first game, and we keep going. Our team is characterised by its team spirit; we have good chemistry and seek open shots. We read the game, but also consider what the opponent gives us.
“Yes, we were somewhat hesitant in shooting during the preparation matches, but it’s also a period where the coach conducts his experiments, and players want to prove their worth. The official games are a different story. The absence of Dinos (Mitoglou) is certainly significant, because apart from being a good person, he does many things on the court that modern basketball demands.
Larentzakis said that Mitoglou in defense, “has excellent hands”, and contributes to offense, “and has a post-up game.” He went on to say that his absence will be felt but added that “health comes first.” “The next match is against the US, and we will fight against a team that we know is strong. Against New Zealand, we will give our all, as it’s a victory we need.”
Source: NEOS KOSMOS
