The Serbian national team played a crucial match in the 2023 FIBA World Cup European Qualifiers this evening against Greece, and it ended with an unexpected hero taking over the game.
Serbia was leading throughout the majority of the game but the home team took control of the momentum in the fourth quarter.
Slowly but surely Greece was inching toward a lead, and Nikos Chougkaz's free throws gained the squad a one-point lead with 4:30 remaining.
The two teams went back and forth throughout the remainder of the fourth quarter. Ognjez Jaramaz's last-second shot was no good and the squads had to go to overtime.
Nikos Rogkavopoulos took over the game in the overtime. He hit three triples in a row, giving Greece a four-point lead. Jaramaz committed an unsportsmanlike foul with 11 seconds to go, and Serbia couldn't bounce back.
Greece went on to win the game 97-92 (8-15, 22-24, 25-23, 25-18, 17-12).
Rogkavopoulos and Dimitris Moraitis had career games for the national team. The overtime hero Rogkavopoulos finished the game with 28 points on 8-for-12 shooting and 4 rebounds for 30 PIR. Moraitis added 23 points, 4 rebounds, and 5 assists for 27 PIR.
Nikola Milutinov led Serbia with 24 points and 9 rebounds for 29 PIR.
Serbia now has to hope that Belgium loses to Great Britain today. If they don't, Serbia will then have to defeat Great Britain in the last matchup of the European Qualifiers in order to advance to the World Cup.
