Host country of this final phase of theEuroBasketl’Germany had to rub shoulders Greece of Giannis Antetokounmpo to hope to reach the last four of “his” competition for the fourth time in its history, and the first time since 2005.
Against this formidable Greek team, which dreamed of reaching the semi-finals of the Euros for the tenth time in its history, and the first time since 2009, the team managed to stop the course of the teammates of Giannis Antetokounmpo (31 points, 7 rebounds, 8 assists and 3 steals).
Thanks to the superb performance of Dennis Schroeder (26 points and 8 assists), irreproachable in his role as national leader, and thanks to an excellent second half, dominated from head and shoulders.
Shaken, Greece turns its back thanks to Giannis
In front of the boiling public of the Mercedes-Benz Arena, this quarter-final leaves in any case very, very strong. This is evidenced in particular by the insolent success at 3-pts of all the Germans: 4/4 to start, then finally 8/10 over the whole of the first quarter!
Despite the aggressiveness of the opposing defense, and especially the two-man (or even three-man) catches, Giannis Antetokounmpo did not disassemble in this hostile atmosphere. In power, suddenly and-one, the “Greek Freak” proves admirable in keeping the Greeks in contact. Altruistic, he also does not forget to serve his unmarked teammates, behind the arc or in the paint.
Still, after ten rather rhythmic minutes, Germany is in the lead (31-27). Increasingly physical, the encounter then balances out, but the team remains in front, thanks to his devilishly effective collective in attack.
Without panicking, Greece maintained a respectable gap with their opponent, snatching several essential offensive rebounds to do so. Precious with their skill at 3-pts, Giannoulis Larentzakis and Andreas Obst respond to each other in a duel of triggers but, as the clock ticks down, the players of Dimitris Itoudis gain the upper hand over those of Gordon Herbert.
It then takes several shots of the accelerator from Dennis Schröder to revive the Germans at the end of the half, while Giannis Antetokounmpo and Tyler Dorsey carry the Greeks into the opposite camp. Finally, on a (very) distant basket at the buzzer from Kostas Sloukas, the visitors took two possessions ahead at the break (61-57).
Greek ship capsizes in 3-pt rain…
As at the start of the match, Germany came back from the locker room unplayable offensively, where they set a lot of pace, and especially defensively, where they clearly moved up a notch. Such an effective recipe necessarily results in the score, since Greece cashes a stinging… 20-1 in seven minutes!
Without a solution and unable to react, because mentally affected, Giannis Antetokounmpo and his family find themselves dropped on the scoreboard, while Franz Wagner and his teammates are in a state of grace, in particular at 3-pts. Despite the wall of defenders standing in front of him (he suffered a five-man catch!), the “Greek Freak” tried to wake up his troops, in his own register.
But nothing helped: the gap was indeed widened at the end of the third quarter (83-71).
Giannis and Schroder expelled!
Without Giannis Antetokounmpo, left briefly to rest, Greece is trying to hold the shock, even to pick up. Without success, which quickly forced Dimitris Itoudis to return his superstar in play. Jostled, the “Greek Freak” struggles, but his teammates are in the hole, while the team relies on a gala collective and continues to shoot in all directions.
Finally, after long minutes where the two teams surrendered blow for blow, it was the Germans who triumph in front of a delirious crowd (107-96). Above all, just to drink the chalice to the dregs, Giannis Antetokounmpo was sent off five minutes from the end, for a second unsportsmanlike foul. Note that Dennis Schröder will join him a few moments later, due to a second technical foul.
Too skilful (17/21 at 3-pts, 18/21 in throws), too armed collectively (five players at 10 points or more) and just too strong for the Greeks, Germany joins Spain in the semi-finals of “his” EuroBasket.
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Photo credit: FIBA.com
