By Michalis Gioulenoglou/ info@eurohoops.net
Limassol, Cyprus – Vassilis Spanoulis congratulated coach Sergio Scariolo and Spain for 15 years of domination in the post-game press conference, congratulated also his players for “an amazing first half”, and admitted that his team “slowed down so much,” even if in the end, such wins build character.
However, that was just the introduction.
In his last press conference in Cyprus and before moving to Riga for the knock-out games, Spanoulis openly stated that Giannis Antetokounmpo doesn’t get the same calls that the other Eurobasket stars are getting.
As he said: “One more time, I have seen a lot of difference in the number of free throws. I have to see the game again. In such a game, one team can’t have 37 attempts and the other 19. You can’t have Luka (Doncic) and other players taking 20-23 free throws per game and Giannis begging to get a foul while getting hacked. At least two times, he should have been awarded unsportmanlike fouls, and we have to face everybody with the same criteria. If we face Luka, Jokic, and Sengun, Markkanen, like this, we have to face Giannis the same way. Just 12 free throws are few for Giannis; he could have had another 10 for sure. We have a team in which we respect everybody, and first of all, me, as a person, I respect a lot coach Scariolo and Spain, which has accomplished amazing things over the last 15 years, but I have to be fair with myself and the game, and to say the truth”.
Captain Kostas Papanikolaou added: “Ι am happy my teammates responded like this, and this kind of close games can give a boost for the rest of the tournament”.
Papanikolaou tied with Galis in games played with the national team
It was a special game for Kostas Papanikolaou, who tied Greek legend Nikos Galis with 168 national team games and entered the All-Time Top 10 of this list in the history of the Greek national team.
“It’s a big honor for me to be in this list with the All-Time Greats of the national team”, said Papanikolaou. “I didn’t believe that would be my course. I feel blessed. I don’t have anything smart to say; I am just glad and proud that I have the chance to represent my country. I have the chance to wear this jersey from 2005 in the junior national teams, I never took it lightly, it’s a great honor and a great responsibility”.