By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
Two games away from a ticket to the 2024 Olympic Games, Greece and Slovenia meeting each other on Saturday will eliminate one of two superstars of the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Piraeus, Giannis Antetokounmpo or Luka Doncic, from the Final on Sunday.
“Giannis and Luka are different players. They will score in different ways,” noted the selector of the senior national team of Greece, Vassilis Spanoulis, after team practice on Friday.
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“When Giannis is playing, you will try to find solutions to help him be efficient, for sure,” he stressed on the decisions made by the coaching staff regarding the Freak, “Our job is to put every player in the best possible position. We will do the same with Giannis. Giannis can not be on any team without impacting the plan.”
Forced to the injury list, Kostas Antetokounmpo was ruled out for the remainder of the OQT. “For me, health is above all,” said Spanoulis, “As I told Kostas, there are worse things in life than an injury. In life, everything happens for a reason. You must stay strong.”
After defeating the Dominican Republic and Egypt in the preliminary round, Greece against Slovenia forms the first Semifinal. On the opposite side of the bracket, Croatia and the Dominican Republic are also seeking a berth in the Final.
“To win an Olympic Qualifying Tournament, you must face every team. We are focused on our team,” stressed the head coach of Greece.