In a game with historic significance, Greece comfortably defeated Cyprus 96–69 to secure its second win in as many outings at EuroBasket 2025. The matchup took place in a packed “Spyros Kyprianou” Arena in Cyprus, where the host nation made its debut on the continental stage.
From the outset, Greece was never in real danger against the tournament newcomers. The victory places the national team alone at the top of Group C ahead of its third matchup, a tougher test against Georgia tomorrow afternoon (August 31, 3:00 pm) in Limassol.
Playing without Giannis Antetokounmpo and with veterans Kostas Sloukas and Kostas Papanikolaou logging only limited minutes, Greece did just enough to get the job done. The offense clicked late, with Tyler Dorsey and Michalis Lountzis (and notably Giannoulis Larentzakis) lifting the team’s perimeter shooting.
Still, the inconsistency showed at times, as Cyprus cut the deficit to just eight points (48–40) midway through the third quarter before Greece pulled away decisively.
By the end of the third period, the gap had widened to 19 points (64–45), and from there, Greece cruised. One of the brightest spots was 18-year-old Alexandros Samodurov, who celebrated his birthday with an impressive all-around performance. The youngest member of the roster showed no hesitation, finishing with 12 points and 8 rebounds. Dimitrios Katsivelis also registered his first points of the tournament.
Before tip-off, emotions ran high when both teams joined in singing the shared national anthem of Greece and Cyprus. With the rosters introduced and the flags raised, singer Stavros Konstantinou performed the anthem a cappella, creating a moment of unity that set the tone for the night.
Quarter scores: 13–22, 31–43, 47–69, 69–96