Nicosia: Cyprus put up a strong fight but ultimately succumbed to the superior strength of the Greek national team, losing 96-69 in a historic EuroBasket Group C match on Saturday at a sold-out Spyros Kyprianou Arena in Limassol.
According to Cyprus News Agency, the Cypriot side started strong, scoring the game’s opening points and remaining competitive throughout the first half, showing a much-improved performance compared to their tournament opener. Despite their efforts, they couldn’t withstand Greece’s pressure and ended the night with a 27-point defeat.
Greece, now 2-0 in the group stage, played without Giannis Antetokounmpo, as head coach Vassilis Spanoulis opted to rest the star ahead of tomorrow’s key game against Georgia. Tyler Dorsey led the charge for Greece, earning MVP honors with 18 points, including three three-pointers, one rebound, and two assists. Konstantinos Mitoglou also scored 18 points. For Cyprus, Konstantinos Simitzis once again topped the scoring charts with 16 points, followed by Willis with 15 and Tigas with 12.
The night was marked by an electric atmosphere, created by Greek and Cypriot fans and the shared national anthem of Cyprus and Greece performed live. The iconic ‘Zorba’ dance also had its moment.
The arena was shaking from the fans, who chanted and sang rhythmically throughout the sold-out game, giving warm applause to the players of both teams.
Among those present to witness this historic match and support the Cypriot national team were the President of the House of Representatives, Annita Demetriou, ministers, deputy ministers, members of parliament, officials of the Hellenic Basketball Federation, FIBA representatives, the President of the Cyprus Basketball Federation, mayors, and members of the European Parliament.