Zisis: Diamantidis’ three-pointer with France and the victory over Team USA from the top moments of Greek basketball

The once great glory of Greek basketball and current General Manager of the Greek National Team, Nikos Zisisspoke on EEC web radio, on the occasion of the 19th anniversary of the historic victory over France in the EuroBasket semi-finals and famous three-pointer by Diamantidis!

Zisis looked back in time, explaining and analyzing what happened in that magical moment for Greek basketball, but also for legacy left by that victory in domestic basketball. At the same time, he also spoke for this summer’s “official sweetheart”, both in the Pre-Olympic tournament and in the Olympic Games of Paris.

Nikos Zisi’s statements in detail:



Because today, in 2005, was Diamantidis’ big shot against France: “It is a historic day. It is certainly one of the greatest shots of Greek basketball and certainly of our “bakery”, because it enabled us to believe in ourselves even more, especially that we secured a medal that night, which became gold the next.

Basically, going into the last minute and being down by 7 points, we thought we could do it and we saw this team make a lot of turnovers. All the events have been experienced by the people of our generation, the younger children hear them like stories. Everything started with this shot.”

For how many times he’s seen this phase before: “I have seen the phase many times, I don’t hide it. You go to YouTube and watch various videos, current, highlights, NBA and everything and it “flies” somewhere. So you say “why not see it one more time?”.



For the last minute twist: “Back then we were a very balanced team, you didn’t know who was going to come out every day. In the match against France we were generally average to bad, but we came to the last minute to continue to fight for the win. The French also missed some shots with very big players like Tony Parker and Rigondeaux, but Boris Dio took a very quick foul for no reason in the four quarters of the field.

Obviously, to turn a 7-point game in 40″ some things have to go your way. I think it was the first time the team did such a twist and that was the trigger to do it again and again in the years to come. This is something that has been remembered over the years.”

For the three-point phase: “Thodoris Papaloukas was the player who felt good and changed the match, he scored personal baskets. However, he committed the 5th foul, but he couldn’t help it, time had to be stopped. Coach Giannakis didn’t have a time-out and when he was shooting, Rigonto told me to take the ball.

I stopped on both feet, Dimitris moved very correctly from behind, Parker “froze” for a fraction of a second, lost him, did not “read” the phase correctly. He should have stayed with the shooter, he should have seen that Dio lived near me and he didn’t need to help. At that time for some years basketball in general was in a stagnant period. This phase, together with the successes of Panathinaikos and Olympiakos later on, gave a great impetus to bring Greek basketball back to the top.”

On whether it was designed in his mind to pass: “It’s half the shot the pass, but it’s about who takes the shot. Then I made my… cross to myself that when I stop and turn around someone will have made the move. This is also the properly worked team. When you do some things from the preparation every day and you go to the matches and do the right things. Dimitris made a great shot, but he also did the right thing.”

For Dimitris Diamantidis’ shot: “In those years we thought he had no shot. It is often psychological. Many times there comes a time in a player’s career when they have to pay off all the work they put in. Dimitris was a great player and a great worker, that’s why he had the career he did. This phase also meant a lot to him.”

About where this phase belongs in Greek basketball: “This phase I would say was the best, along with the victory over the USA. Due to Varejao’s elbow I was not active in this match, but it was like I played. It was probably the greatest success of Greek sports, because we all remember who the Americans were then. Mainly because they changed their whole way of thinking and philosophy for their summers, what three-day camp they did, they changed their whole preparation.

This phase and Dimitris’ three-pointer will forever remain “etched” in our memories, in our hearts. Today someone stopped me on the street and told me that he will never forget this phase, the scream he had let out when he was sitting in the living room, as a teenager back then. It is also the saying of Vassilis Skoundis that “ties” everything together in a fairy-tale way”.

For the fact that this moment is remembered to this day and the goal of Greek basketball: “2005 is definitely something that will be remembered forever. This is the big dream and the big goal, for history to repeat itself. “The flame has already been lit” with our teams. Panathinaikos won the Euroleague. It is a great achievement after 12 years that he was generally “wanted”, he had not been to the Final-4 and he did it straight away in one year.

For a bad three minutes, the National Children’s National Team did not get a medal, which would have been the second of the “small” national teams this summer. The most important thing is how many players we will produce that will man our bigger teams and of course the Men’s National Team. This is the biggest bet and the vision and dream of those involved in Greek basketball.”

For this summer’s Men’s National Team: “We really did a great job this summer, the players gave us a great summer. Our qualification to the Olympic Games after 16 years. Our “bakery” its greatest achievement in the Olympic Games was the eight, like this year, or the very big team of the 90’s in Atlanta which was again the eight. Just qualifying for the Olympics was huge.

We have in mind that the years pass and the next day is also important. The summer of 2025 will be a great opportunity, for a team that has already “built” a cohesion, playing with world-class teams. The point is always to look to the future and, starting from the “windows” of November-February and having Eurobasket as the final goal, we want to take the next step. We are all very proud of what happened this summer.”