The two-man national team of the “windows”, was defeated by M. Britain in London with 73-72, although it led by 17 points in the first half. At halftime, the score was 33-41 in favor of the “official favorite”. The match was for the EuroBasket 2025 qualifiers.
The Greek team played amazing defense at the start and took a 16-31 lead early in the second period. The difference jumped to 17 points with a nailing by Vangelis Zougris (22-39), but the home team reduced it to single digits just before the break and quickly got within shooting distance: 38-40.
Vassilis Toliopoulos responded with two personal baskets, but the British went ahead: 50-48 with Yeboa’s three-pointer. The score became 61-51 with a 10-0 run early in the fourth period and 66-54 at the 35th minute. Two consecutive “bombs” by Toliopoulos from 6.75 m reduced the distance: 70-67 and 72-69. However, our internationals could not find an equalizing shot. Moraitis dropped to a point as the match expired.
Ethniki played with few players from Euroleague teams, since the match coincided with the 1st matchday of the Euroleague. From Panathinaikos only Dimitris Moraitis competed (13 points) and from Olympiakos Naz Mitrou-Long (12). Toliopoulos (14), Hougaz (11) also played from the dozen of the Olympic Games.
In London, Lountzis 7, Poulianitis, Mouratos, Avdalas 3, Kouseloglou, Zougris 8, Karagiannidis 4, Mantzoukas also wore blue. Netzipoglou, Karakostas, Tanoulis stayed in Athens. More than 2,000 Greeks were among the spectators at the packed Copper Box Arena in London.
In the second match against the British, on Sunday at PAOK’s stadium in Thessaloniki (6.30 p.m.), more players from the “eternals” may be called, and perhaps Monaco’s Papagiannis.
After tonight’s result, the National team has 2 wins and 1 loss, just like Britain. In the “window” of February, they will face the Czech Republic (2-1) away from home and the Netherlands (0-3) on Greek soil. Three teams from the Group will qualify for the finals.
The finals of EuroBasket 2025 will be held next September in Riga, Latvia, while our national team – if it qualifies – will play the matches of the first round against the Limassol Club, from August 27.
!function(f,b,e,v,n,t,s)
{if(f.fbq)return;n=f.fbq=function(){n.callMethod?
n.callMethod.apply(n,arguments):n.queue.push(arguments)};
if(!f._fbq)f._fbq=n;n.push=n;n.loaded=!0;n.version=’2.0′;
n.queue=[];t=b.createElement(e);t.async=!0;
t.src=v;s=b.getElementsByTagName(e)[0];
s.parentNode.insertBefore(t,s)}(window, document,’script’,
‘
fbq(‘init’, ‘726515947549353’);
fbq(‘track’, ‘PageView’);
#Great #BritainGreece #Defeat #points #National #Team
**How did the absence of key Euroleague players, due to scheduling conflicts, impact the Greek team’s performance and ability to execute under pressure in the game against Great Britain?**
## World Today News Exclusive: Discussing Greece’s Loss to Great Britain
We’ve gathered two basketball experts, Kostas Dimitriou, a former Greek national team player, and Maria Papadopoulos, a renowned sports journalist, to unpack the Greek national team’s recent defeat to Great Britain in the EuroBasket 2025 qualifiers.
**Opening: Setting the Stage**
**Interviewer:** Welcome, Kostas and Maria. Thank you for joining us today to discuss a rather unexpected result in the EuroBasket Qualifiers. Let’s start with the big picture: Greece lost to Great Britain in London, despite leading by 17 points in the first half. This wasn’t the outcome many expected. Kostas, how do you analyze this surprising turn of events?
**Kostas:** This was a disappointing loss, no doubt. Greece came out strong, dominating in defense and showing real offensive prowess early on. However, they seem to have lost their momentum in the second half, allowing Great Britain to claw their way back.
**Maria:** Absolutely, Kostas. This wasn’t a case of Great Britain blitzing Greece; rather, it was a slow and steady comeback, highlighting potential weaknesses within the Greek team’s gameplay.
**Section 1: Dissecting the Game**
* *Kostas, the article mentions a 10-0 run by Great Britain in the fourth quarter. How crucial was this run in swaying the momentum, and what could Greece have done differently to counter it?*
* *Maria, given the limited participation of Euroleague players due to the coinciding schedules, do you think the lack of experienced players contributed to the Greek team’s unraveling?*
**Section 2: Analyzing Team Performance**
* *Kostas, Vangelis Zougris had a good performance early on. What other players stood out for you, and where do you see areas for improvement within the team’s overall strategy?*
* *Maria, do you think the absence of key players from the Euroleague impacted the team’s cohesion and ability to execute under pressure?*
**Section 3: Looking Ahead to the Next Match**
* *Both of you, Sunday’s rematch in Thessaloniki will surely be highly anticipated. What adjustments do you think Head Coach Dimitris Itoudis needs to make to secure a victory? Will the potential inclusion of more Euroleague players make a significant difference?*
* *Kostas, how important is this upcoming match for Greece’s chances of qualifying for EuroBasket 2025?*
**Section 4: Broader Implications**
* *Maria, how does this loss reflect on the overall state of Greek basketball? Should fans be concerned about the team’s chances in future competitions?*
* *with the EuroBasket 2025 Finals being held in Riga, Latvia, do you think this defeat has any long-term implications for Greece’s aspirations at the tournament?*
**End:**
**Interviewer:** Thank you both for your insightful analysis. While this loss is a setback, it’s clear there are lessons to be learned, and adjustments to be made. The rematch in Thessaloniki will be a crucial test for the Greek national team as they strive to qualify for EuroBasket 2025.
