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Giannis Antetokounmpo marked his return to action with a dominant performance in Greece’s opening summer preparation game ahead of FIBA EuroBasket 2025, as the hosts defeated Latvia 104–86 in the Acropolis Tournament in Athens.

The Greek superstar set the tone early, coming out aggressively and scoring the first seven points of the game. His energy helped Greece establish a 13-point cushion in the opening quarter.

With the team catching fire from long range and Antetokounmpo completely overwhelming Latvia’s defense, Greece built a commanding lead.

In just 10 minutes on the floor in the first half, Giannis piled up 20 points and 8 rebounds, propelling Hellas to a 61–45 halftime advantage. Latvia struggled to cope with the pace and power of the Greek attack, unable to find any answers on either end of the court.

The visitors showed some fight after the break, cutting the margin back down to 10 points in the third quarter. However, Greece quickly reasserted control, never allowing Latvia to get within striking distance.

By the fourth quarter, the outcome was beyond doubt, and Greece closed out the game comfortably to notch a convincing win to begin their tournament campaign.

Despite playing just 15 minutes, Antetokounmpo was the undisputed star of the night, finishing with 25 points on 9-of-12 shooting, along with 10 rebounds to secure a double-double.

His dominance underscored his importance to Greece’s EuroBasket hopes. Giannoulis Larentzakis added valuable support, knocking down four three-pointers on his way to 14 points, giving the home side another offensive spark.

For Latvia, Rihards Lomazs was the lone bright spot, scoring 14 points as the only player in double figures.

Looking ahead, both teams continue their preparations in Athens.

Latvia will take on Italy on Thursday, while Greece faces the same Italian side on Friday, as all three nations fine-tune their rosters and strategies for the highly anticipated EuroBasket next year.

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