For a final with their heads held high, the National team against Montenegro

The curtain for the National basketball team falls today on World Cupwith the procedural confrontation against Montenegro (11:40, ERT, Novasports and sport-fm.gr). Hopes of qualification no longer exist, but the dignity of the “official favorite” is always a motivation.

Christos Robolis writes from Manila

This fight looks like compulsive work for a team that believed and looked capable for one half of making a big breakthrough, yet lacked the solutions required to last 40 minutes against Lithuania, who excelled in talent, size and depth. However, the National Team owes, first to itself and the effort of its members for the past 40 days and then to the national emblem, to fight one last battle, even if the psychology is not at the best possible level.

Motivation, if one can find it, it is the best possible ranking. With a cursory glance and before all the games of the day are played, the Greek team if they win will logically finish twelfth, while if they lose they will stay 15th or 16th in the competition (“paying” for the heavy defeats by the USA and Lithuania), without this affecting her next day.

THE Dimitris Itoudis it is expected to open up the rotation more by giving playing time to players who played less in the last two “final” with New Zealand and Lithuania. It is therefore not expected to see Walkup, Papapetrou and Papagiannis in 30+ appearances, but the Greek team will try to be competitive and claim victory with more players.

The Montenegroalso sidelined after Greece’s defeat by Lithuania, will be looking to build on their good performance against the USA and claim their maiden victory over a European team in their World Cup history.

Only Greek victories in prehistory

The national team has five wins in as many matches against Montenegro at Men’s level. In fact, they had also met in the 2019 World Cup, with the “official favorite” dominating 85-60 in the city of Nanjing. Analytically:

01/07/2009 (Mediterranean Games / Pescara): Greece-Montenegro 85-67

04/09/2011 (Lithuania Eurobasket / Alitus): Greece-Montenegro 71-55

11/08/2017 (Friendly / Belgrade): Greece / Montenegro 83-81

08/09/2018 (Friendly / Paris): Greece / Montenegro 87-76

01/09/2019 (World Cup / Nanjing) 85-60