The Greek national basketball team qualified for the Olympic Games in Paris by defeating Croatia 80-69 in the final Olympic Qualifying Tournament, marking their return to the Olympics after 16 years.
Greece’s leading scorers were Giannis Antetokounmpo, with 23 points and eight rebounds, and Nick Calathes, with 14 points and 11 assists. Croatia’s top scorers were Zubac, with 19 points, Hezonja, with 15, and Saric, with 14.
Greece will compete in the first group of the Olympic tournament, featuring 12 teams. They are scheduled to play against Canada on July 27, a strong contender alongside the USA for the gold medal, Spain on July 29, and Australia on August 2. The Greek team’s matches will take place in Lille.
The last time the Greek national basketball team participated in the Olympic Games was at the Beijing Olympics in 2008.
To reach the final Olympic Qualifying Tournament, Greece defeated the Philippines and Egypt in the group stage and then beat Slovenia, led by Luka Doncic, with a score of 96-68.
Puerto Rico, Spain, and Brazil also secured spots for the Olympic Games in Paris through the qualifying tournament. Puerto Rico defeated Lithuania, Spain beat the Bahamas, and Brazil won against Latvia.
Completing the lineup for the Olympic tournament are France, Germany, Japan, the USA, South Sudan, and Serbia.
