Greece downs Puerto Rico to set sight on London
The men’s national basketball team edged closer to a ticket to the 2012 Olympic Games after defeating Puerto Rico 98-84 in Venezuela
The men’s national basketball team edged closer to a ticket to the 2012 Olympic Games after defeating Puerto Rico 98-84 in Venezuela.
The Greeks now need to beat Nigeria in Friday’s quarterfinal of the Olympic Qualification tournament taking place in Caracas and then score one win in a maximum of two games against the likes of Russia, Lithuania or the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia to secure a place in the Olympics.
After thrashing hapless Jordan 107-63 on Monday in the first game of its three-team pool, Greece came up against a much more competitive Puerto Rico that sported such NBA stars a JJ Barea and Renaldo Balkman.
Greece had the upper hand almost throughout the game despite its defensive problems owing to Puerto Rico's supreme front line.
The players of coach Ilias Zouros led 30-27 and 49-47 after the first couple of periods, and when Puerto Rico momentarily took the lead (51-49) Greece bounced back to advance by eight (70-62) after the third period and stretch its lead to 17 just before the end (98-81), thanks to its remarkable three-point scoring rate that was steadily above 50 percent.
Vassilis Spanoulis was Greece’s top scorer with 27 points, 18 of which were in the first half.
Advertisement
- Turkey condemns NSW's genocide recognition
- Mykonos: Something to 'Crowe' about
- Greek community pays tribute to Hazel Hawke
- Recognising genocide
- Fitch upgrades Greece's credit rating
- Angelopoulos' Greek drama
- Melbourne Heart signs Massimo Murdocca
- Greek men affected by crisis
- Greece honours Australian WWII veterans
- New rules for reverse mortgages
- 8 May 2013 | 13 Votes
- 8 May 2013 | 9 Votes
- 3 May 2013 | 9 Votes
- 15 May 2013 | 9 Votes
- 13 May 2013 | 8 Votes
- 22 May 2013 | 8 Votes
Advertisement
Advertisement
More from this Section
- All eyes on Greek derby
- Melbourne Heart signs Massimo Murdocca
- Richmond take on Essendon
- Sydney Olympic wins league leader
- Mariners out of ACL after Guangzhou loss
- Halloran to play for Bundesliga 2
- Oz players becoming rare in EPL
- Gallop not angry if Socceroos don't qualify
- Fans make the Wanderers a good investment
- Oakleigh Cannons with new coach
-
Greeks know good coffee. This year's World Barista and Brewer Championships sees a tailored and very talented Greek team vie for the top gong.
-
The ratings agency believes the country has stabilised and moved its rating up to B-
-
NSW is Australia's first state to recognise the genocides and hopes are that other states will follow
-
Nicholas Saramaskos made his name working for a chrysanthemum cultivator and grows some of the best in Australia
-
Greek Australian owned cosmetics company 'Kroma' is taking the Kardashians to court over naming their company 'Khroma'
-
Nick Dallas sits down with former radio broadcaster and community activist Kostas Karamarkos to talk Greek politics, the crisis and the worsening state of the Eurozone
-
Coach Graham Arnold still has high hopes for a win next week
-
An idea proposed by visiting professor and linguist Georgios Babinitios has seen the creation of the first centre to promote Greek culture in Australia
-
A conversation with three succesful women in finance and banking will give advice on how to succeed in business
-
The Victorian Premier League returns this weekend with Round Five, and South Melbourne welcome Richmond Eagles, and their new coach, in their first home game this season
-
PAS Giannina upset PAOK at Thessaloniki to take the lead at the Super League play-offs
-
An anti-racism bill aimed at reining in the ultra-right Golden Dawn party by imposing tougher penalties on the incitement of racist violence has caused a major rift
-
Greek Australian director Alkinos Tsilimidos play Red recognised
-
David Moyes will replace Sir Alex Ferguson as the club's manager, taking on a six-year contract
-
Unemployment in Greece more than twice the average rate in the euro zone
-
President of GOCMV Bill Papastergiadis sat down with German consul Michael Pearce SC
-
Harry Kewell's hope to be picked for the Socceroos squad is in doubt
-
Greeks lend a helping hand to those who are suffering in the face of the crisis
Comments
Post new comment