For the national basketball team, the primary objective to stay alive in the battle for qualification was to defeat Australia, and they did. However, while they could have easily secured a spot in the top 8, they now have to endure a nail-biter.
The +19 lead at the start of the second half turned into +2 (71-69), and the 6-point victory (with a missed attack at the end) forces us to wait for Serbia to beat South Sudan by at least three points in order for us to secure a ticket to the next phase of the Olympic Games.
The Match
As usual, Antetokounmpo entered the game energized. Calathes and Walkup found two long-range shots, and Greece built a small 5-point lead (6-11, 4′). The only thing they couldn’t control early on was Mills’ shooting. The experienced Australian reduced the lead to 14-15 with two of his own long-range shots before Walkup answered from the perimeter. The Australians’ rhythm helped them respond immediately to Greece’s +7 with another three-pointer from McVeigh.
During Giannis’ rest minutes, Greece maintained the lead, with Giddey reducing the gap to one point (24-25, 10′) by winning three free throws at the end of the period. The return of the Greek Freak was accompanied by an outburst. The Greek guards continued to read the situations ideally, Walkup hit double digits with another long-range shot, and Giannis finished a transition play. The defense sparked a 0-14 run, leading to a 24-39 lead (13′).
Antetokounmpo gained momentum, scoring against Landale and the entire Australian team. The offensive contributions of Mitoglou and Walkup had Greece on fire. Mitoglou scored six consecutive points, Giannis extended the lead to +17 (33-50, 17′), and with Papagiannis’ help, this lead was maintained until halftime.
The intensity of Greece’s defense was truly remarkable, with hands everywhere, preventing Australia from easily approaching the basket. Giddey’s three-pointer reduced the score to 41-57 (23′), marking the start of Australia’s counterattack. Landale finished plays in the paint, and the only thing keeping Greece afloat was their defense, as they went over four minutes without scoring.
