Greece with star player Giannis Antetokounmpo is Germany’s opponent in the quarter-finals of the European Basketball Championship. The Greeks won 94-88 against underdog Czech Republic in Berlin on Sunday evening after trailing at half-time.
Superstar Antetokounmpo of NBA club Milwaukee Bucks excelled this time after a weak start only in the second half, but in the end he still had a double-double with 27 points and ten rebounds.
On Tuesday (20.30 hrs), Germany and Greece will meet. Franz Wagner (ankle) and Nick Weiler-Babb (shoulder) are question marks for the German team. Antetokounmpo had also complained about ankle problems recently, but seems to be fit again and fully able to play. Besides Giannis, his two brothers Kostas and Thanasis Antetokounmpo are also part of the Greek squad.
Schröder: Great respect for Antetokounmpo
Antetokounmpo is “one of the best players in the world”, said DBB captain Dennis Schröder with a view to the direct duel. “The conditions he has, from his body, from his size, from his style, that’s what makes him stand out.”
“If you want to achieve something in a tournament like this, then of course you have to win against the best,” Schröder continued. “The bottom line is that this will be an awesome challenge. We’ll take it with pride.”
Before the victory of the Greeks, who remained the only unbeaten team at the European Championships, tournament favourite Serbia surprisingly lost to Italy on Sunday.
