It rained three points in SEF for a national team that he liked, but still has a lot of room for improvement!

It rained three points in SEF in its first pre-season friendly Our national team ahead of the Pre-Olympic tournament at SEF (02-07/07)! From time to time, the team of Vassilis Spanoulis wanted with their performance, having versatility in the attack and orientation towards the fast game and the long shots, however, winning with difficulty 78-73 of Poland in a beautiful atmosphere at the Faleri stadium.

Having made 14 accurate three-pointers in 41 attempts, the “blue and white” got the pink match sheet against the fighting Poles, however, leaving room for improvement when the injured and absentees return, such as John Antetokounmpo!

Top scorers for the “official favorite” were Toliopoulos and Papagiannis with 12 points – the runner-up left the third period with a facial problem after a hit that required stitches – while Charalambopoulos (11p., 3/4tr.), Kalathis (8p., 5as., 4r.) were excellent. ), Walkap (7p., 6as.), but also Kalaitzakis (8p., 6r.).

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Christos Robolis’ comment on Greece’s victory over Poland a few days before the Pre-Olympic Tournament #basketball #greece #sporfm

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The match:

THE National Our team started the friendly match with Kalathis, Toliopoulos, Charalambopoulos, Mitoglou and Papagiannis in their starting five. The start of the match was not the most ideal for Greece, as our representative group entered somewhat nervous and numb on the floormaking cheap mistakes and losing several battles under the two baskets.

It is indicative that in the first five minutes of the match, our national team had fallen to 4 mistakeswhile he had lost 6 defensive rebounds (!), with the Poland to take advantage of this condition, previous strong>with +10 for 15-5. The time-out seems to have had an effect for the “blue and white”, which thanks to Papagianni’s two three-pointers in a row, as well as the goal-foul by Walkup, reduced on the point (14-15) in just 66 seconds! However, the visitors managed to bring the match back to their feet, and thanks to an 8-0 run, they went +11 (16-27) for the first time in the 9′, before Moraitis from the corner set up on 19-27 of the first period.

With a three-pointer by Charalambopoulos from the same spot that Moraitis hit earlier, the second quarter (22-27), with Igor Milicic’s set going at +8 (24-32) a little later with… four points by Sokolovski. With the defense and box-outs now working well at the back of the floor – thanks to the presence of Papagiannis – Greece found the right balance they were looking for in defense and attack. With a “weapon” of their long shot, the team of Vassilis Spanoulis returned strongly to the match. Charalambopoulos and Toliopoulos reduced to 30-33 at 14′, with the Greek forward of Sassari with his 3rd personal three-pointer brought the match tied (33-33)!

Shots by Kalaitzakis at 16′ (35-33), Greece took the lead for the first time after an hour and the 3-1 advantage at the start, while he, as well as Hougaz a little later, connected behind from 6.75m. for 44-36 at 18′! Slaughter and Michalak struck out in the final quarter, sending both teams off in the locker room with a score of 46-41, with the “official favorite” finishing the first half having 9/24 three-pointers (37.5%).

The rhythm was different at the beginning second halfwith Greece anyway imposing its own game, controlling the tempo of the match and the lead he had built. With the difficult layup by Kalaitzakis, but also the three-pointer by Toliopoulos from the corner, our national team led 51-43 in the 22nd minute, with Papagiannis making 53-45 at 24′, winning the goal foul from Balcerovski. Phase in which the excellent Fener center tonight suffered a laceration to the head somewhere on the eyebrow after the foul he received, as a result of which he left for the locker room.

In fact, with Toliopoulos’ surprise steal and layup, as well as Charalambopoulos’ two-pointer, the “blue and white” reached for the first time at +10 (58-48) at 26′! However, then some unforced errors and some missed shots allowed the Poles to go on a 7-0 run, going down to 3 (58-55) at 29′. Nick Calathes stopped this streak (59-55), however, a mistake by him and one by Moraitis, gave Poland the right to find our defense reorganized, resulting in a draw at 60-60 of the quarter with Milicic and Sokolovski.

With the game in absolute balance at fourth quarter, Greece showed character, entering seriously and concentrated in the last period. Hougaz and Lountzis provided valuable scoring solutions in the first minutes (65-63), with Nick Calathes to take the baton and with four points in a row to increase the difference at 69-63 at 34′! The guests reacted and with Michalak and Slaughter “nibbled the difference to three (71-68 at 36′), before Toliopoulos with a big three-pointer from the corner he does 74-68 at 37′giving a huge offensive breath to the National Team!

At that point, the Poles were unable to claw their way back into the match, with Vassilis Spanoulis’ side capitalizing on the fouls and shots they got in the final two minutes to claim victory and the pink card with final 78-73.

The quarters: 19-27, 46-41, 60-60, 78-73.

See here the statistics of the match.