By Michalis Gioulenoglou/ info@eurohoops.net
Greece ranking third in the final standings of EuroBasket 2025 and capturing bronze in Riga on Sunday was followed by a trip to return home on Monday.
The Final Countdown, a song by Europe firmly connected to the EuroBasket 1987 triumph, which elevated basketball popularity in the southeastern European country, welcomed the team coached by Vassilis Spanoulis at the airport in Athens.
“A very nice reception, deserving for this team,” noted 43-year-old Spanoulis, “This medal belongs to all Greeks. We wanted to bring basketball to the top again. This generation deserved it. Thank you very much, and I hope this medal returns basketball to the golden era.”
“It has been emotional,” added team captain Kostas Papanikolaou, “The messages of appreciation received, even after the loss to Turkiye, were touching. The positive energy helped us accomplish this goal.”
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The success in the Latvian capital ended a medal drought, persisting since Greece finished third in the EuroBasket 2009. Earlier medals were gold in 1987, silver in 1989 and 2005, and bronze in 1949.
The top performer for Greece across team showings in Limassol and Riga was Giannis Antetokounmpo, who earned a spot in the All-Tournament Team. Over seven appearances, he tallied 27.3 points, 10.6 rebounds, 4.1 assists, 1.1 steals, and 0.9 blocks per contest.
Moving to EuroBasket 2029, Greece is among the co-hosts, alongside Estonia, Slovenia, and Spain, with one of the four preliminary groups scheduled to be held in Athens.
However, the next challenge is in the Qualifiers of the FIBA World Cup 2027, starting from late November and launching a bid to compete in the Olympic Games 2028.