Greece's Vassilis Spanoulis and Slovenia's Zoran Dragic. (Photo : Reuters)
Tournament-favorite Greece will try to hold tight the top spot of Group C in the 2015 EuroBasket as it meets Slovenia in the fourth day of competitions on Wednesday, September 9 at the Arena Zagreb in Croatia.
Greece started the tourney with a two-game winning streak behind victories over Macedonia, 85-65, and host nation Croatia, 72-70. The team will battle lowly Georgia on Tuesday before this match against the Slovenians.
The victory over Croatia was significant for head coach Fotis Katsikaris' squad as it gave them the confidence that they can actually top the group during the preliminary round, as reported by Tovima.
Shooting guard Vassilis Spanoulis again led the team with 16 points, four rebounds, and six assists to beat Croatia, who played without the Brooklyn Nets' Bojan Bogdanović after suffering a concussion in their previous game.
Slovenia dismantled Georgia, 79-68, during their last game on Sunday behind an array of three-pointers, as per the tourney's official website.
The bench players actually played better for head coach Jurij Zdovc as shooting guard Klemen Prepelic and point guard Jaka Klobucar fired 21 and 20 points respectively.
Without Miami Heat point guard Goran Dragić suiting up for the Slovenians in this year's Eurobasket, the team will definitely have trouble keeping up with the scoring of Greece and penetrating their vaunted perimeter defense as well, something that the 29-year-old veteran playmaker easily provides.
Slovenia will try to keep it close before making a huge run in the payoff period. However, Greece's defense will hold fast and suppress the Slovenian rally to survive.
Prediction: Greece wins, 74-70
Greece starting five: Yannis Bourousis (C), Georgios Printezis (PF), Giannis Antetokounmpo (SF), Vassilis Spanoulis (SG), Nick Calathes (PG)
Slovenia starting five: Alen Omic (C), Uros Slokar (PF), Zoran Dragic (SF), Jaka Blazic (SG), Nebojsa Joksimovic (PG)
