Photo: FIBA

The Round of 16 in Riga ended just before midnight, and it was the Greek fans who made the Latvian capital echo with celebratory songs.

After a grueling contest against Israel, their voices carried into the night as Greece clinched the final Quarter-Final spot with an 84-79 victory.

The reward for their efforts? A high-profile showdown with Lithuania on Tuesday, a familiar opponent in Europe’s basketball wars.

Turning Point

Greece led wire-to-wire, but Israel refused to go away. The margin stretched to 11 late in the first half, yet the Greeks couldn’t create real separation.

Israel kept coming back, trimming the deficit repeatedly and cutting it to 60-58 near the end of the third quarter.

That’s when Greece’s depth revealed itself. Veterans and youngsters alike combined for a crucial burst.

Kostas Sloukas, 20-year-old Alexandros Samodurov, and Kostas Antetokounmpo strung together a 7-1 run, pushing the gap back to eight entering the final period.

Sloukas then opened the fourth with a smooth layup to make it +10, and from there Israel never found a way to close the distance.

TCL Player of the Game

Giannis Antetokounmpo reminded everyone why he’s considered one of the best players on the planet. From the opening tip, he imposed his will, finishing with 37 points on an absurd 18-of-23 shooting, while also pulling down 10 rebounds.

The 30-year-old extended his streak of 25+ point games at EuroBasket to 10 in a row. Only Greek legend Nikos Galis has ever put together a longer run, with 19 such games.

Giannis also joined an exclusive list of stars – Nikola Jokic, Nikola Vucevic, Luka Doncic (twice), and Kristaps Porzingis – to post a 30-point, 10-rebound line at EuroBasket 2025.

“They couldn’t stop him tonight, and we kept feeding him,” said teammate Tyler Dorsey. “He did what he did tonight. He’s one of the best in the world, we’re glad to have him.”

Stats Don’t Lie

The game was tied for a total of just 47 seconds – 31 at the start, and then briefly at 2-2. From that moment on, Greece never relinquished control, keeping Israel behind for more than 39 minutes of action.

Bottom Line

With the win, Greece advanced to the Quarter-Finals for the fourth consecutive EuroBasket and the ninth time in the last 10 tournaments.

Despite their consistency, it has been 16 long years since Greece last won a medal at this competition – something coach Vassilis Spanoulis isn’t shying away from.

“It’s time to break this curse,” Spanoulis said.

His decision to go small from the start, slotting Giannis effectively as the five-man, left Israel with no answers.

Whether it was Deni Avdija, Tomer Ginat, Itay Segev, or Roman Sorkin trying individually, or collective efforts in a matchup zone, Israel couldn’t contain him – Giannis made his first ten two-pointers in succession.

Israel’s fight was commendable, with Deni Avdija pouring in 22 points, but their inability to slow down Antetokounmpo left them chasing for all 40 minutes. Their best EuroBasket finish since 2000 remains seventh place back in 2003.

They Said

“We are a little bit disappointed right now. But we are very proud of the way we represented this country, it’s the biggest privilege of an athlete.” – Tomer Ginat, Israel

“They couldn’t stop him tonight, and we kept feeding him. He did what he did tonight. He’s one of the best in the world, we’re glad to have him.” – Tyler Dorsey, Greece

“Everybody knows the Lithuanian school of basketball. They are competitive, they have fans with them, they have big bodies, they know how to play and it will be a very tough game.” – Vassilis Spanoulis, Greece head coach, on the upcoming Quarter-Final against Lithuania

“It’s time to break this curse.” – Spanoulis, on Greece’s 16-year medal drought at EuroBasket

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