In a thrilling game that was decided literally in the last minute Greece beat Puerto Rico based on individual plays of their experienced guards.
The game started off in an extremely pacey way as both teams tried to run ‘n gun and Puerto Rico took the early lead 11-6 due to its players’ good shooting percentages. But later on Greece made a 6-0 run and took the lead back 12-11. With Tsartsaris showing the way Greece increased their lead, 18-15. The Latinos did not give up though and with a 8-3 run finished the first quarter leading 23-21.
Greece did not shoot well, for the second game in a row, behind the arch while Barea was on a great day and Puerto Rico expanded the points difference to four, 34-30. With some back-to-back long threepointers Puerto Rico headed to their locker rooms leading 41-35 at half time.
Puerto Rico picked up where they left before half time and increased their lead in the beginning of the second half, 47-38. But that was it… as Kazlauskas used the magic Greek back-court of Zisis-Diamantidis-Spanoulis and made a 14-4 run and regained the lead 52-51 with three minutes to go till the end of quarter three. With Diamantidis passing and Bourousis executing Greece increased its lead to three, 59-56 after thirty minutes of play.
But Puerto Ricans were a hard nut to crack open as Ramos and Barea dominated their field of play and put their team back in charge, 65-62. With five minutes to time Puerto Rico was still in the lead, 68-67 and one minute later, 73-70. Then everything changed as Ramos committed a rather stupid offensive foul which was his fifth and Spanoulis took advantage going to the charity line. That was it for the Latinos as they lost their concentration and Greece using their huge experience from similar events did not let the chance go wasted and won the game 83-80.
Score by questers: 21-23, 35-41, 59-56, 83-80
Greece: Spanoulis 28, Tsartsaris 14, Diamantidis 12 (7 ass), Bourousis 12 (9 rbs), Zisis 7, Perperoglou 5, Printezis 3, Vouyoukas 2, Calathes, Kaimakoglou
Puerto Rico: Barea 20, Ramos 16 (8 rbs), Sanchez 13, Vassallo 11 (9 rbs), Lee 9, Huertas 6, Peavy 5 (3 blk), Rivera, Diaz, Balkman, Santiago
