On July 30, in the Olympic men’s basketball group stage, Spain faced off against Greece.
The game started with Greece hitting two consecutive three-pointers to take the lead. Antetokounmpo powered his way to the basket for a 2+1 play, and Greece began the match leading 9-3 over Spain. Willie Hernández quickly responded with a thunderous dunk, and Aladama followed up with a three-pointer, setting up a closely contested opening. As Antetokounmpo began to dominate on both ends of the court, Greece extended their lead to seven points. Veteran Rull hit back-to-back three-pointers, scoring eight straight points to help Spain recover. Antetokounmpo scored nine points in the first quarter as Greece led 22-21 over Spain.
In the second quarter, Spain’s veterans connected, with 39-year-old Rudy dishing out an assist for 36-year-old Rull, who nailed another three-pointer. Greece responded in kind, and the teams were tied at 27. Rull forced a turnover and made a long pass that drew a foul from the opposition, and Spain gradually took control of the game. Rudy hit a three-pointer, forcing a Greek timeout! After the break, both teams traded baskets, but Spain built an eight-point lead with sharp counterattacks. Spain then rained down three-pointers, hitting a total of 11 in the first half, and they led Greece 49-35 at halftime.
Player Stats
Spain: Aladama 12 points, 6 rebounds, 1 assist; Rull 11 points, 1 rebound, 4 assists; Pradilla 7 points, 1 rebound, 1 assist; Abrines 6 points, 1 rebound; Fernández 4 points, 1 assist, 1 steal; Blázquez 3 points, 1 rebound, 5 assists; Brizuela 3 points, 1 rebound, 2 assists; Hernangómez 2 points; Díaz 1 point; Garuba 2 rebounds, 2 steals;
Greece: Antetokounmpo 9 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal; Calathes 6 points, 1 rebound, 5 assists; Papagiannis 5 points, 6 rebounds, 1 assist; Larentzakis 5 points; Papagiannakis 3 points, 2 assists; Tolios 3 points; Vouloupoulos 2 points, 2 rebounds, 1 assist; Mitoglou 2 points; Kaledzic 1 rebound