In a hard-fought battle that went down to the wire, Greece narrowly edged out Puerto Rico with a final score of 67-65. The game served as crucial preparation for both teams ahead of the upcoming Paris Olympic Games.
Missing key players like Giannis Antetokounmpo, Nick Calathes, Giannoulis Larentzakis, and Kostas Antetokounmpo, Greece faced a determined Puerto Rican side fresh off their qualifying tournament victory.
From the tip-off, Puerto Rico came out firing, establishing a five-point lead by the end of the first quarter. They continued their strong play throughout the first half, maintaining their advantage despite a more aggressive defensive effort from Vassilis Spanoulis' Greek squad.
Puerto Rico peaked in the third quarter, showcasing their offensive firepower by dropping 22 points against a usually staunch Greek defense. Entering the final period, they held a commanding ten-point lead.
However, the Greeks refused to go down without a fight. A furious 10-3 run to open the fourth quarter injected drama into the final minutes. Greece managed the pressure-packed closing moments with more composure, ultimately securing the hard-fought victory.
Dinos Mitoglou spearheaded the Greek attack with a game-high 18 points, while Georgios Papagiannis added 13. Kostas Papanikolaou rounded out the double-digit scorers for Greece with 10 points.
Isaiah Pineiro led Puerto Rico with 12 points, while Jose Alvarado and David Ortiz each contributed 11 points in a losing effort.
This game served as a valuable learning experience for both teams as they fine-tune their strategies for the Olympics. Puerto Rico will face a challenging group featuring Serbia, USA, and South Sudan, while Greece will battle it out against Spain, Australia, and Canada.