Nikola Vucevic’s Montenegro proved to be an easy target for the Greek National Team in the opening game of the “Acropolis” tournament. Greece dominated from the first quarter and played with great offensive freedom, ultimately winning 86-57.
Greece shot plenty of three-pointers, as they did against Poland, resulting from ball movement. The game ended with Vassilis Spanoulis’ players making 14 out of 41 three-pointers and 18 out of 32 two-pointers.
Giannis Antetokounmpo did not play due to illness, with Vassilis Spanoulis commenting: “Giannis called me this morning. He is a bit sick and has a slight fever. I thought it best for him to stay home to avoid infecting anyone else and to join us at practice tomorrow.”
Greece vs. Montenegro: The Game
With Nick Calathes orchestrating, Greece started the game with a bang. The Monaco guard dished out two impressive assists and made a three-pointer, setting the foundation for an early 11-0 lead. Montenegro lacked the necessary toughness, and Spanoulis’ players found ways to move the ball effectively, extending the lead to 29-14 (14′) before Vucevic made a three-pointer.
The three-point barrage continued, with Calathes providing magical assists and Greece shooting relentlessly, pushing the lead over 20 points. Charalampopoulos executed a great play, making the score 45-23 (18′). Greece ended the half shooting 9 out of 27 three-pointers and 8 out of 16 two-pointers, along with grabbing 12 offensive rebounds.
Third and Fourth Quarters
The scenario didn’t change in the third quarter. Papagiannis scored from both the paint and the three-point line, making it 55-28 (24′). Montenegro couldn’t match Greece’s performance, which naturally slowed the game’s pace but kept the lead high. Spanoulis used the opportunity to test different lineups, and Larentzakis ignited the crowd at the end of the third quarter with two consecutive three-pointers (65-41, 30′).
In the final quarter, the situation remained unchanged. Vucevic took his rest, and Mitoglou, Moraitis, and Larentzakis continued to score from beyond the arc, concluding the game at 86-57.
The tournament continues tomorrow with Montenegro vs. Bahamas (June 26, 20:00) and concludes with Greece vs. Bahamas (June 27, 20:00, ERT2).
Quarter scores: 23-12, 45-26, 65-41, 86-57.
