Greece completed the second group stage of the European Basketball Championship in Lithuania with a 73-60 victory over Georgia on Monday.
The match was of no significance for either side, as Greece had already taken the third spot in the pool, while Georgia ended up last.
The Greeks were not at all focused on the game during the first half, which ended 35-32 in the Georgians’ favour.
They went on to lead 41-37, but that was when the Greeks woke up and started adding some energy to their game.
Much as Georgia wanted to score their first win in this second stage, when Greece started playing to their usual standards, they were not to be beaten.
Led by Costas Vassiliadis, who scored 15 points on the night, and Yiannis Bourousis who added another 13, Greece bounced back to stretch their advantage to double digits and sealed their win with a spectacular Kosta Koufos slam dunk.
All eyes are now on Thursday’s quarterfinal where Greece will face France for a place in the last four of the 2011 Eurobasket.
“It is fairly predictable that in a long tournament such as this one, lasting three weeks, you cannot always perform to 100 percent. It is the performance of the second half that we need to replicate in the game with France,” said Greece guard Nikos Zisis after the match.
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