Table of Contents
On Thursday night, somewhere in Geneva, FIBA’s social media man hit the nail on the head: “Greece beat England in football. Greece lost to Britain in basketball. Have we gone completely crazy?’ Good for trolling, but own goal or rather… drag basket. The defeat of the national basketball team is solely due to the “civil war” that has been raging for seven years in European basketball. If the Eurobasket qualifiers did not coincide with a full Euroleague season, Greece would travel to London complete, with the sole exception of Giannis Antetokounmpo. She would undress the armored British, sign autographs for the brain drain Greeks and return to her base with the ticket for EuroBasket 2025 sealed. He wouldn’t descend on the Copper Box Arena with a lineup of national hopefuls.
“Thanks… no thanks”
At the start of the mini-preparation, Vassilis Spanoulis was quick to thank Olympiacos and Panathinaikos for the “spirit of cooperation”. After Thursday’s defeat, however, the federal coach varied the trope: “How will we go to Eurobasket if we don’t have the internationals present in the qualifiers?”. Some events had intervened that made the federal feel that he was playing with an empty deck of cards:
• The permission originally given by Olympiacos to Giannoulis Larentzakis was curtly revoked due to injuries to Dorsey and Vezenkov. Larentzakis, who is usually left out of the 12-team in the European matches of the “red and whites”, played just 8 minutes in the easy game against Baskonia in Faliro. Less than any other Olympiakos player except Wright.
• Panathinaikos granted permission to Ergin Ataman and Cedi Osman for the matches of the Turkish national team against Hungary. The fans of the Turkish federation took place, but the “greens” only gave Moraitis to the national team of Greece, who has played all of 17 minutes this year in Europe. Slukas, Mitoglou, Kalaitzakis, Papapetrou were excluded, while Kostas Antetokounmpo remains injured.
• First-class players from third-party European teams regularly donned the coat of arms of their home countries, either with the blessing of their respective clubs (e.g. the once-green Lithuanian Lekavicius of Zalgiris, Serbian Dobric of Red Star) or a race for to play two matches on consecutive nights (eg the Georgian Toko Sengelia of Virtus). The list includes many names.
In Greece, the state within a state is the two “eternals”. Each federal coach is forced to acrobat the tightrope of diplomacy and maintain difficult balances, unaffected by his personal stature. Exposed by the non-existence of the EEC, which does not even intend to threaten with disciplinary penalties the players and teams that renounce the national emblem, Spanoulis tried to strengthen the national team for tonight’s match with the British in Thessaloniki without breaking many eggs. The tank, after all, is very small.
The two players who made statements in favor of the national team, Larentzakis and Kalaitzakis, one “red” and one “green”, that is, were invited to wear the blue today in Pylaia together with the 34-year-old captain Kostas Papanikolaou. Panagiotis Kalaitzakis, of course, had a match the night before last in the distant Kaunas, from where the journey to Thessaloniki is a complete adventure. The Basketball League matchday has fortunately been postponed…
The overworked Walkup was ruled out so that he could be tested in these two games in place of the only “naturalized” forgotten Naz Mitrou-Long. There was no mention of players playing in foreign Euroleague teams, such as Baskonia’s Nikos Rogavopoulos and Monaco’s Giorgos Papagiannis. Papagiannis will face off with Spanoulis from Monday in the shadow of the Monte Carlo casinos, along with Nick Calathes who is injured. From the rest of the internationals, Charalambopoulos, Th. Antetokounmpo.
In the same project viewers
Even with so many rumors, three players from the 12 squad of the Olympic Games (Toliopoulos, Hougaz, Moraitis), last summer’s 13 (Loundzis), one with a successful tenure in the NBA (Mitrou-Long) and many young people who will be called to bear responsibility the following day: Zougris, Avdalas, Mantzoukas et al. The national team led with a difference of 17 points in the first part but collapsed in the second, just as it happened in the corresponding “window” three years ago in Newcastle (7869). It is worth noting that from the “windowless” – and headless – national team of November 2021, only two players competed in this year’s match: Lountzis and Mouratos.
In front of her loyal home crowd, and boosted by comparison, the ‘official favourite’ is expected to defeat the Brits tonight and shake off any threat of elimination. Three of the four teams in the group will qualify for EuroBasket, so three wins will be more than enough, as the Dutch are 0-3 at the halfway mark, behind 2-1 Greece, the Czech Republic and M. Britain.
However, the national team wants the first place, not only for reasons of prestige but also for the best possible draw in the final phase. EuroBasket 2025 will be held in four countries (Latvia, Cyprus, Poland, Finland), however the Greek team will have the role of an organizational “partner” of the Cypriots, so it will certainly compete in the Limassol group, with an opening date of August 28. The finals are scheduled to take place in Riga between 5 and 14 September 2025.
Read also
Alarm in the West after the strike in Ukraine with the new Russian Oreshnik missile – NATO meets in emergency
Karamanlis broke the “silence” of a week – “Disciplinary measures make it difficult to support the national line”
Nikos Romanos: He was remanded in custody for a fingerprint on a mobile object – Episodes outside the court
Beware, if you travel with an airline and a discount, Pitsilis may accuse you of money laundering
Battle for artist degrees at the Council of Ministers – Professor Panos Lazaratos explains the importance of the first decision in Documentonews
!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’);
#eternals #hurt #national #team #Spanoulis #vetos #team #decimated #London
How has the ongoing conflict between Greek basketball clubs and the national team impacted player morale and performance?
## World Today News: The State of Greek Basketball
**Introduction**
Welcome to World Today News, where we dive deep into the stories shaping our world. Today, we’re tackling the controversial topic of the Greek national basketball team’s recent struggles and the complex web of factors at play.
Joining us are two esteemed guests:
* **[Guest 1 Name and Credentials]:** A renowned basketball analyst with in-depth knowledge of Greek basketball and the EuroLeague.
* **[Guest 2 Name and Credentials]:** A former professional basketball player who understands the pressures and realities facing athletes at the highest level.
**Section 1: The “Civil War” in Greek Basketball**
* **Host:** The article paints a stark picture of a “civil war” within Greek basketball. [Guest 1], can you elaborate on this dynamic and its impact on the national team?
* **Potential Follow-up Questions:**
* What are the key factors fueling this conflict between clubs and the national team?
* How deep are the divisions, and are there any signs of potential reconciliation?
* What are the potential long-term consequences of this internal struggle on the future of Greek basketball?
**Section 2: The Club vs. Country Dilemma**
* **Host:** The article highlights the reluctance of Olympiacos and Panathinaikos to release players for national team duty during crucial club competitions. [Guest 2], from your experience as a player, what are the pressures and considerations athletes face when choosing between club and country?
* **Potential Follow-up Questions:**
* Do you believe clubs have a responsibility to prioritize national team duty, or is prioritizing their own interests understandable?
* How can this conflict be resolved for the benefit of both clubs and the national team?
* What role should coaching staffs and national federations play in mediating these situations?
**Section 3: The Impact on the National Team’s Performance**
* **Host:** The recent defeats against England and the dominant performance against the Netherlands highlight the inconsistency of the Greek team. With the EuroBasket 2025 qualifiers underway, [Guest 1], how do you assess the team’s chances given the current circumstances?
* **Potential Follow-up Questions:**
* What are the strengths and weaknesses of this current national team roster?
* How crucial is it for Greece to secure first place in the group?
* With a depleted roster, what strategies can coach Spanoulis employ to maximize the team’s potential?
**Section 4: Looking Ahead: The Future of Greek Basketball**
* **Host:** [Guest 2], what needs to change in the Greek basketball system to ensure a brighter future for the national team?
* **Potential Follow-up Questions:**
* What lessons can be learned from other successful national basketball programs?
* What role can younger players play in rebuilding the national team?
* Are there systemic changes needed at the club or federation level to foster a more unified and supportive environment for the national team?
**Conclusion**
* **Host:** Thank you both for sharing your insightful perspectives on this complex issue. The future of Greek basketball depends on finding solutions that prioritize the national team while recognizing the needs and pressures facing clubs. The coming months will be critical in determining the direction that Greek basketball will take.
**Note:** These are just examples, and the specific questions should be tailored depending on the expertise and opinions of the chosen guests.
