By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
With four players posting double figures in a low-scoring affair, Serbia defeated Greece 71 – 64 in the opening game of the 2023 Akropolis Tournament that’s taking place annually in Athens before major summer competitions.
The triplette of Bogdan Bogdanovic (15 points, seven rebounds five assists), Nikola Milutinov (14 points, 12 rebounds, four assists), and Marko Guduric (14 points, seven rebounds) led the efforts of Serbia overall. Dusan Ristic added 11 points.
Nikos Rogkavopoulos had 19 points and six rebounds for Greece while Ioannis Papapetrou scored 11. Thanks to a 12-2 run in the fourth period, Dimitris Itoudis’ players tied the game at 59 after trailing 40 – 54 with three minutes left in the third quarter.
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Bogdanovic and Milutinov combined for five unanswered points and Guduric scored for the 62 – 69. With two minutes to play, the Serbian side never Greece get at a shooting distance to collect the win.
Both Balkan powerhouses have important absences, including Giannis Antetokoumpo for Greece and Nikola Jokic for Serbia.
While Jokic is officially out from the FIBA World Cup, Giannis in theory can still join the Greek national team and compete in the upcoming tournament. However, this scenario seems a longshot at this point.