By Nikos Varlas / varlas@eurohoops.net
ISTANBUL – “We will give our everything to achieve a medal after so many years. We’ll have to be laser focused”, says Greece’s 27-year-old Papanikolaou.
Greece beat Lithuania in an incredible do-or-die game and the player could see through it: “When you have your back against the wall, it can’t really get worse. We had to rethink a few things, respect ourselves and try harder. We all discussed these things together and confidence grew in one another.”
Papanikolaou recognizes that no matter how much Greece wants a medal, there’s always a tough opponent in the way: “We do not play alone. There’s always the chance that your opponent might be better”.
(Photo credit: FIBA.basketball)