Greece Immigration focus on Greek sports news: Beijing time September 13, the second round of the 2013 EuroBasket group stage kicked off. Top seed Spain encountered Greece in their first match and was extremely unfortunate, losing 75-79 to Greece, which resulted in Spain having a record of only 1 win and 2 losses.
Marc Gasol, as the top superstar, scored 20 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, and 1 block; Fernandez scored 20 points and 4 assists. Spain's dual point guard backcourt efficiency was extremely poor, with both Rubio and Calderon shooting 2-for-7; Rubio had 6 points, 3 rebounds, and 3 assists, while Calderon had 5 points and 2 assists. Four players on the Greek team scored in double digits; former Rockets guard Spanoulis scored 20 points, 4 rebounds, and 3 assists, while Bourousis and Printezis both scored 10 points.
Greece defeats Spain, former Rockets player Spanoulis shows great courage
Marc Gasol and Calderon scored after the opening, giving Spain the lead, but Greece immediately launched a counterattack with 4 consecutive points. After Rubio made two consecutive shots, Aguilar hit a three-pointer, and as Marc Gasol drew a foul and made both free throws, Spain went on a 7-2 run to take the lead. However, the opposition did not show weakness, with Spanoulis and Bourousis scoring to keep the score close. In the final stage of the quarter, Spain went on a scoring spree, with Llull and Claver both scoring, extending the lead to 12 points with another 7-0 run. Greece's Bourousis made two free throws to score 2 points, but they still trailed Spain 16-26.
After the second quarter began, Greece immediately launched an offensive, scoring from multiple points to go on a 7-2 run and quickly narrow the gap. Although Spain also scored, Greece maintained its team-oriented style, and with Bourousis making two free throws, Greece trailed by only 1 point at 29-30. Claver and Fernandez scored to ease Spain's decline, but in the final 3 minutes and 14 seconds of the quarter, Spanoulis began to go on a scoring frenzy, making three consecutive shots for 8 points, and Kaimakoglou followed with a three-pointer, allowing Greece to launch an 11-0 run to quickly overtake the score. At the end of the quarter, Greece led Spain 41-38.
At the start of the second half, Spain immediately went on an 8-2 run led by Fernandez to regain the lead, but Printezis and Spanoulis both fired back, tying the game at 46. Marc Gasol became Spain's pillar in the final stage of the third quarter, attacking the paint repeatedly and even hitting a three-pointer during the period, accounting for all of the team's final 11 points, as Spain led Greece 57-52 entering the fourth quarter.
Fernandez hit a three-pointer at the start of the final quarter, giving Spain an 8-point lead. However, Greece scored from multiple points, and as Spanoulis went on a run again to score 5 points, Greece quickly went on a 10-1 run to overtake the score. Rodriguez realized the situation was dire and immediately hit a three-pointer, while Sloukas and Bourousis scored, giving Greece a 4-point lead with 3 and a half minutes left in the game. Marc Gasol's dunk failed to ignite Spain's offense, and Greece's Bramos hit a three-pointer to take a 7-point lead with 59 seconds remaining. Although Spain struggled afterward, they could not overcome the deficit, ultimately losing to Greece 75-79.
Starting lineups for both sides:
Greece: Zisis, Spanoulis, Papanikolaou, Kavvadas, Printezis
Spain: Aguilar, Fernandez, Calderon, Rubio, Marc Gasol