Coach Zouros has finally named his preliminary squad for Eurobasket 2011, and it didn’t come as a surprise that Dimitris Diamantidis was not included in the squad.
However, when I first read the 16-man team-sheet, I thought back to how well Greece did in 2009 in Poland without Diamantidis and Theo Papaloukas. Many Greeks were not expecting much – but, in the end – they got a bronze medal.
Greece will be amongst the challengers in Lithuania this summer, I don’t doubt that for one second. Their line-up is solid, with the core of players that won the bronze included for this summer’s Eurobasket. Players including: Spanoulis, captain Antonis Fotis, Schortsianitis and Zisis in the preliminary line-up. Bit surprised in honesty to see big-man Ioannis Bourousis in the team. He had announced his retirement from international game, but apparently he retracted his decision.
Greece as a basketball nation isn’t exactly in a great place right now, with news spreading about all A1 club finances (or lack of…). And I must say that the story regarding several Greek clubs not being able to pay their players and staff was sad. Only two clubs out of 14 paid their players in full this past season. That shows the struggle that not just Greek basketball, but Greece in itself is having right now.
Panathinaikos winning the Euroleague Final Four in May did bring some hope. But the national team now carry a bigger burden on them. Their fans were expecting disappointment two years ago in Poland, but they came away with third place.
Diamantidis was named MVP in the Final Four, but the 31-year-old needs a summer off after a tough season in both the Euroleague and Greek League, where the men in green won both. Seeing how hard the 6-foot-5 guard goes both in practice and on the court, it is a well earned international retirement.
As for Greece, they will be just fine without Diamantidis and to the same extent: Papaloukas. They are in a tricky group with Montenegro, Croatia, F.Y.R of Macedonia, Bosnia & Herzegovina and the first place qualifier to contend with. But, I expect to see them in Vilnius for the second stage.
It’s another brand of unselfish players, that will fight for each other and they will try to bring some pride back into Greek basketball.
For the fans, media and indeed for the nation of Greece, to boost their country’s rep. A medal placement would be tremendous.
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