Giannis Leads the Way

Giannis Antetokounmpo once again proved decisive, delivering highlight-reel dunks, defensive stops, and clutch plays in the closing minutes. His dominance in the paint, combined with the experience of Kostas Sloukas and the energy of Kostas Papanikolaou, kept Greece in control through tense stretches.

In the final quarter, Giannis sealed the momentum with a towering block and a follow-up basket, pushing the lead to 82–74 inside the last minute. Despite Israel’s late push, the Greeks held firm to secure the win.

Israel’s Resistance

Israel, powered by Deni Avdija, refused to go quietly. The Portland Trail Blazers forward showed his full repertoire — attacking drives, three-pointers, and leadership. Avdija cut the margin to single digits several times, while Yam Madar and Roman Sorkin also chipped in to keep the game alive until the closing seconds.

Head coach Beit Halami had joked pregame that “stopping Giannis might require an M-16,” and indeed the Israeli defense struggled to contain him, even with well-timed double teams.

A Historic Rivalry

This was the 52nd meeting between the two nations at men’s level, with Greece now extending its head-to-head advantage to 30 wins. From the Olympic Games in Helsinki in 1952 to tonight’s thriller in Riga, Greece and Israel have built a long, competitive history.

Looking Ahead

With the win, Greece advances to the quarterfinals for the fourth straight tournament, aiming to return to the semifinals for the first time since 2009. Their next opponent, Lithuania, promises a stern test, having looked strong throughout the tournament.

Elsewhere in the Round of 16, EuroBasket 2025 has already produced shocks: Finland eliminated Serbia and Georgia stunned France. Greece will be wary of adding its name to the list of fallen favorites.

Tip-off against Lithuania is scheduled for Tuesday.

After a comfortable run in Limassol and topping Group C to qualify for the Round of 16, the Greek national basketball team is set for its first knockout challenge at EuroBasket 2025.

Arriving in Riga, Latvia on Friday, Greece faces Israel tonight at 21:45 in the final matchup of the second phase, with a place in the quarterfinals on the line.

Vassilis Spanoulis’ team enters the game as the favorite, but Israel has impressed throughout the group stage, led by an in-form Deni Avdija.

“Avdija has made a huge step forward over the past year in the NBA with Portland, and here he’s been outstanding as well. He’s a very modern forward — he handles the ball, shoots, he’s powerful, explosive. We have a plan to contain him, as well as the rest of their players,” Spanoulis said of Israel’s star.

On the other side, Israel’s coach Beit Halami had a tongue-in-cheek comment about Giannis Antetokounmpo:
“I guess we’ll have to bring an… M-16. That’s probably the easiest way.”

The winner of tonight’s clash will face Lithuania on Tuesday in the quarterfinals. Already, two major upsets have shaken the tournament — Finland eliminated Serbia and Georgia knocked out France — a reminder to Greece that caution is essential.

The Greek side is aiming for its fourth consecutive quarterfinal appearance, having topped the Limassol group. Tonight, they meet the fourth-placed team from the Katowice group, as they look to return to the last eight for the first time since 2003.

Greece vs. Israel: Head-to-Head Record

The two nations have faced each other 51 times at men’s level, with Greece holding 29 wins. A selection of their past encounters:

• 15/07/1952 – Olympic Games (Helsinki): Greece 54–52 Israel
• 09/06/1965 – EuroBasket (Tbilisi): Greece 67–69 Israel
• 04/10/1969 – EuroBasket (Caserta): Greece 95–62 Israel
• 15/07/1986 – FIBA World Cup (Barcelona): Greece 79–82 Israel
• 23/06/1993 – EuroBasket (Karlsruhe): Greece 74–79 Israel
• 26/06/1995 – EuroBasket (Athens): Greece 59–49 Israel
• 30/10/1996 – EuroBasket Qualifiers (Tel Aviv): Greece 86–84 Israel
• 01/07/1997 – EuroBasket (Girona): Greece 85–82 Israel
• 22/01/2002 – EuroBasket Qualifiers (Peristeri): Greece 85–61 Israel