With… eleven for the first step with the right against Jordan, the national team

Against absences and problems, h National team she is ready to make her attempt at World Cup and… wherever it comes out. Today (11:40, ERT1, Novasports and sport-fm.gr) faces at the Mall of Asia Arena in Manila, the Philippines Jordan. A match that in… other times would have been considered easy and procedural, but with the existing conditions it is now difficult and at the same time decisive.

Christos Robolis writes from Manila

THE loss of Dinos Mitoglou eve of the first jambol was a (yet) shock for the Greek team, which counted another loss this summer. In the one and only training with the new data, the Dimitris Itoudis and his associates tried to adapt to the new situation redistributing some roles. It is clear that we will now see Papapetrou, Thanasis Antetokounmpo or even Papanikolaou in “4”, while Hatzidakis will now be Papagianni’s first “reserve” in “5”.

The game is paramount, since in the inevitable scenario of defeat the consequences will be… disastrous. With the mighty USA in the group and the top two advancing to the next stage, if Greece lose to Jordan they will be by… a leg and a half in the 17-32 ranking matches. In this scenario, to qualify, New Zealand would have to beat Jordan on Monday and Greece would have to beat the Oceania team on Wednesday by a margin that would favor them in a three-way tie going into the final game on Wednesday.

THE Jordan participates for the third time in its history in the World Cup claiming something better than the total… one victory (in ten matches) it had in its two previous appearances (2010, 2019). However, he is rightly considered the underdog of the group and will line up in Manila more for the experience. Although her roster is mostly quite old. The center stands out Ahmet Duverioglouwho passed by Fenerbahce, but also the former NBAer Rhodey Hollis-Jefferson, who is the naturalize of the group. This is a team with enough quality in the forward and tall positions, but with lack of good solutions in guards. The Greek team needs pressure on the ball to make mistakes, but also not to feed the tall ones, as well as properly deal with the complex defenses it will find in front of it, with zones that will challenge it to shoot.

What did they do in the friendlies?

Jordan… tired of playing friendlies as they have conceded a total of 14 (!) since the start of their pre-season. Lost three matches in Lithuania, 107-69, 93-75 and 101-75, faced Portugal three times with two wins, 74-71 and 69-61 and one loss, 70-75, defeated Ivory Coast 74-71 , lost 80-79 to the Czech Republic, easily defeated Angola 70-56 and Mexico 86-72 in Amman, was defeated twice in Tbilisi by Georgia 86-69 and 81-73 by Iran, while in the last two of the test in China defeated Venezuela 89-87 and lost 91-82 to South Sudan.

Jordan’s roster

Zaid Abbas (21/11/1983 – 2.07m – F) Al Ahly

Ahmed Duverioglu (03/04/1993 – 2.09m. – C) Bursaspor

Ahmed Al-Hamarsha (10/10/1986 – 1.96m – F) Orthodox

Muhammad Hussain (03/03/1990 – 2.11m – C) Al Ahly

Abu Hawass Amin (26/04/1994 – 1.93m. – G) Orthodox

Sami Bzai (26/01/1994 – 1.90m. – G) Al Ahly

Malek Kanaan (07/02/1993 – 1.85m – G) Al Ahly

Hashim Abbas (30/03/1999 – 1.98m – F/C) Al Ahly

Zain Al-Naidawi (26/09/1996 – 2.01m – F) Al Ahly

Ahmad Amouri (2005 – 1.85 – G) Western Lisesi

Amir Eid (15/07/1989 – 1.85m – G) Byblos

Rodey Hollis-Jefferson (03/01/1995 – 1.98m – F) Atletico de San Herman

Coach: Wesham Alsous

Only wins

The Men’s National Team is 2/2 against Jordan at the Men’s level or… 3/3 if one Mediterranean Games game is included. Analytically:

20/06/2009 (Friendly / Biela) 78-75

07/02/2012 (Pre-Olympic / Caracas) 107-63

24/08/2019 (Friendly / Suzhou) 92-65

The program of the day (Saturday 26/8)

Today begins the action in the remaining four groups of the competition. There is no big derby on the schedule, but it is interesting for the group of the National team (3rd). USA-New Zealand.

For the sixth group, in Okinawa, Ilia Zourou’s Georgia play Eddie Tavares’ Cape Verde, while Luka Doncic’s Slovenia face Venezuela. In the second group, which takes place in the Philippines, the schedule includes Serbia-China and South Sudan-Puerto Rico, while in the seventh group, in Jakarta, there are Iran-Brazil and Spain-Ivory Coast.

11.00 South Sudan – Puerto Rico (2nd Group, Philippines, Novasports)

11.00 Cape Verde – Georgia (6th Group, Japan, Novasports)

11.45 Jordan – Greece (3rd Group, Philippines, ERT 1 & Novasports)

12.15 Iran – Brazil (7th Group, Indonesia, Novasports)

14.30 Slovenia – Venezuela (6th Group, Japan, Novasports)

15.00 Serbia – China (2nd Group, Philippines, ERT 1 & Novasports)

15.40 USA – New Zealand (3rd Group, Philippines, Novasports)

16.30 Spain – Ivory Coast (7th Group, Indonesia, Novasports)