Giannis Antetokounmpo showed his determination to guide Greece to its first Olympic qualification since 2008 with an impressive showing at the Piraeus, Greece, Olympic qualifying event. Antetokounmpo netted 32 points in only 19 minutes, sinking all 11 shots, leading Greece to a 109-82 win against the Dominican Republic in Group B play.
Key Contributions and Team Effort
Thomas Walkup contributed 17 points for Greece, who have the opportunity to qualify for the semifinals by defeating Egypt on Thursday. Vassilis Spanoulis, the coach of Greece, commended Antetokounmpo for his humility and prioritization of the team, despite being a superstar. Spanoulis stated that he is focused on winning.
Global Qualifying Action
The Piraeus competition is one of four worldwide events that decide the last four positions in the men’s basketball category for the Paris Olympics. Additional competitions are being held in Latvia, Puerto Rico, and Spain. Group play will run until Thursday, followed by semifinal matches on Saturday and championship games on Sunday.
Antetokounmpo’s Olympic Aspiration
Antetokounmpo’s successful basketball career is only lacking an appearance at the Olympics. During Wednesday’s game, he displayed no evidence of the calf injury that kept him out of the Milwaukee Bucks’ playoff games, smoothly making baskets and successfully shooting one three-pointer.
Other Key Games
New Zealand 90, Croatia 86
Corey Webster’s 21 points and Shea Ili’s layup in the last minute helped New Zealand win a thrilling 90-86 game against Croatia in Group A. In spite of the defeat, Croatia moved on to the semifinals thanks to a positive point differential. Despite Ivica Zubac’s impressive 29 points and 16 rebounds, Croatia still suffered a loss after defeating Slovenia.
Montenegro 70, Cameroon 66
Montenegro maintained their chances for reaching the semifinals by defeating Cameroon 70-66 in Riga, Latvia. Marko Simonovic was the top scorer with 18 points, while Nikola Vucevic added 11 points and grabbed 14 rebounds. For Cameroon to progress, they must secure a surprise victory against Brazil.
Bahamas 90, Poland 81
Valdez Edgecombe Jr. and Deandre Ayton guided The Bahamas to the next round in Valencia, Spain after defeating Poland 90-81. Buddy Hield contributed with 17 points and 10 assists. Poland will compete against Finland for the last spot in the semifinals.
Philippines 89, Latvia 80
Justin Brownlee led the Philippines to a 89-80 victory over Latvia with his impressive performance: 26 points, nine rebounds, and nine assists, just shy of a triple-double. Kai Sotto contributed 18 points and grabbed eight rebounds. The Philippines will go up against Georgia in order to progress to the knockout stage.
Spain 89, Angola 81
Spain’s victory over Angola, led by Santiago Aldama and Willy Hernangomez, earned them a spot in the Liga tournament’s semifinals with a score of 89-81. Angola and Lebanon will face off for the remaining spot in the semifinals.
Lithuania 97, Ivory Coast 93
Domantas Sabonis netted 22 points to guide Lithuania to a 97-93 win against Ivory Coast in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Marius Grigonis and Lukas Lekavicius contributed vital scores. Ivory Coast must defeat Mexico in order to advance to the semifinals.
Conclusion
The Olympic qualifying tournaments are still featuring exciting basketball games as teams compete for the remaining spots in the Paris Olympics. Giannis Antetokounmpo strong showing highlights his dedication to guiding Greece, as other countries fiercely compete for their Olympic aspirations.
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