For the first time since 2009, Greece has clinched an appearance in the EuroBasket semifinals, taking down Lithuania 87-76. Once again Giannis Antetokounmpo led Hellas’ attack with 29 points, six rebounds and four steals. The two-time NBA MVP did get a little bit more help compared to the previous game against Israel, with Vasileios Toliopoulos (17) and Kostas Sloukas (11) scoring in double figures. Denver Nuggets center Jonas Valanciunas picked up a double-double for Lithuania with 24 points and 15 rebounds.
It was another close game throughout, with both sides struggling to hit any shots from distance with regularity. Lithuania came out swinging with a 7-0 lead, but Greece was able to find their footing thanks to Giannis and take the lead right back. Giannis had 11 points in the first quarter alone to help push Hellas ahead by five heading into the second quarter. The two sides swung back and forth during the second quarter, with Greece getting ahead by six before Lithuania fought back to get within one point. But a three from Vasileios Toliopoulos and a turn-around jumper from Giannis gave Hellas a six-point lead heading into half time.
Greece’s defense turned it up in the third and were able to build a sizeable lead to fend off any comeback attempt by the Lithuanians. In the third, they only allowed 14 points, seeing that six-point lead at the break balloon into 13 before taking a 12-point lead into the fourth. The lead expanded to as high as 16. By the time Lithuania got into the single digits, it was too little too late with just one minute remaining on the clock.
In other Antetokounmpo news, Thanasis didn’t play after playing seven minutes against Israel, but Kostas, the second youngest of the Antetokounmpo quintet, saw some action on the floor. Kostas was a menace on the defensive end with four blocks, and also contributed four points, three rebounds, two assists and a steal. Yet he managed to follow in his older brother Thanasis’ footsteps with five personal fouls committed.
Greece will play their Mediterranean rival in Turkey after they defeated Poland (sorry Dawid) 91-77 in Riga. As of this writing, we don’t know what the other semifinal match up will be: tomorrow, Finland will play Georgia at 9:00 a.m. central tomorrow and Germany will play Slovakia at 1:00 p.m. central. Greece will be looking to get back to the finals for the first time since 2005, when they won the entire tournament.
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