2008 Greek NT
- Thread starter ArkadiosV2
- Start date
robbe
Moderator
I think if Schortsanitis is even close to being back to match fitness, he'll get the call. He just gives the Greeks an extraordinary weapon that some opponents cannot deal with. I don't think Giannakis can pass on him (IF the fitness is there). If you ask me, it looks as though it will be the Eurobasket 2007 roster with Fotsis and Schortsanitis instead of Chatzivrettas and Pelekanos. Maybe Giannakis wants an additional backcourt player though. And maybe there will be one or more retirement(s). Apart from that, even though there are interesting candidates such as Printezis, Vassiliadis, Perperoglou and Calathes/Koufos, I don't think there is much room for them. Maybe in the qualifying tournament, but not in the Olympics (given they make it).
Feel free to correct me about big Sofo, but I've been reading that he's looking pretty good these days.
Feel free to correct me about big Sofo, but I've been reading that he's looking pretty good these days.
rikhardur
Administrator
I haven't seen any of the games since he came back, but by looking at the stats he's doing way better than I expected or everyone I think given the time he was inactive and recovering. He needs to improve his FT shooting though, but that comes from the past. It wouldn't surprise me if he gets called.
Vasileios Spanoulis
Banned
rikhardur said:
He's definitely one of the biggest Greek talents. With him and Fotsis added Greece is a threat to medal.
mvblair
Administrator
Thanks for the news, Russ and Trif. I haven't heard of Calathes. If he's at FSU, he's pretty good. I still doubt that "normal" D1 players (not named Greg Oden) are good enough to play on a competitive NT. That's probably why Coach Donovan wants him to go practice with the Greek NT, he'll pick up some good skills, learn how to play against tough guys, and return to FSU stronger.Russ said:
Trifilli
Super Moderator
mvblair said:
Yeah, I think that's what it'll be about: learn to play with these guys, pick up some skills, get better. I really doubt that he'll make the team, there's just too much competition, but calling him up to training camp seems to be a good idea imo. He can learn quite some things there, and will already be able to adjust to the team for the future. Wouldn't be surprised if he'd see playtime in a friendly game or two if he gets called up for the camp though.
As for Schortsanitis: if he's healthy Giannakis needs to call him up, he's the type of player this team lacks (besides a really good shooter), and he can give Greece way more depth, even if it's just for a few minutes of gametime.
With Fotsis and Schortsanitis returning, this teams frontcourt will be much stronger again than last years team for example, which finished 4th at the European Championships.
Some more news, this time on Papaloukas, from his website:
Theo Papaloukas said:
The bold part is the important one, I'd say that it means that he's gonna play this summer. It says:
"Even if the Finals go up to 5 games, I'll be in Athens in the end of May, to relax and to reload by batteries, because afterwards it is going be a long summer with the national team."
robbe
Moderator
I just took a look a the possible roster. Just judging by the names, I probably would have chosen this one ...
PG/SG Diamantidis - PG Papaloukas
PG/SG Spanoulis - PG/SG Zisis
SF/PF Kakiouzis - SF Vassilopoulos
PF Fotsis - PF Tsartsaris - PF Dikoudis
C Papadopoulos - C Bouroussis - PF/C Schortsianitis
... but it is pretty obvious that there are too many big men around and simply not enough on the SG/SF position, which Chatzivrettas was at in the last years. Both SF's are not explosive enough, too. Kakiouzis is a primary PF for me anyway. So after rethinking it, I guess Giannakis will call for a or SG/SF or pure SF and has to make a decision who to leave out for that spot. Bouroussis? Dikoudis? Kakiouzis? Schortsianitis? All that might not be a problem though if Big Sofo doesn't get fit in time. Otherwise, I think it might hit Bouroussis.
Who could that SG/SF be? Pelekanos? Vassiliadis? Perperoglou? Tsaldaris? These are the options imo. I'd probably go for the shooter Vassiliadis.
PG/SG Diamantidis - PG Papaloukas
PG/SG Spanoulis - PG/SG Zisis
SF/PF Kakiouzis - SF Vassilopoulos
PF Fotsis - PF Tsartsaris - PF Dikoudis
C Papadopoulos - C Bouroussis - PF/C Schortsianitis
... but it is pretty obvious that there are too many big men around and simply not enough on the SG/SF position, which Chatzivrettas was at in the last years. Both SF's are not explosive enough, too. Kakiouzis is a primary PF for me anyway. So after rethinking it, I guess Giannakis will call for a or SG/SF or pure SF and has to make a decision who to leave out for that spot. Bouroussis? Dikoudis? Kakiouzis? Schortsianitis? All that might not be a problem though if Big Sofo doesn't get fit in time. Otherwise, I think it might hit Bouroussis.
Who could that SG/SF be? Pelekanos? Vassiliadis? Perperoglou? Tsaldaris? These are the options imo. I'd probably go for the shooter Vassiliadis.
Trifilli
Super Moderator
robbe said:
You mention the greek teams' biggest problem here: the SF position. In the frontcourt there's huge competition, there'll be Kakiouzis, Fotsis, Schortsanitis, Dikoudis, Tsartsaris, Papadopoulos, Bouroussis, Koufos - 8 big men, plus Vassilopoulos, who'll play minutes on PF as well. 2 of these guys have to stay at home for sure, and I hope that Giannakis didn't promise Koufos that he'll make the team. It'll be a very interesting camp for sure.
On SG/SF no candidate really convinces me, if we talk about a spot in the rotation. Pelekanos has no role at Madrid, except for the last game he not only gets little playtime, he also gets no shots. Vassiliadis doesn't seem to get much trust from Giannakis recently, he only seems to play in blowout wins atm. Perperoglou still has a lot of up and downs and didn't really see much courttime in the EL, although with the season progressing he looks better than in the beginning - while Tsaldaris played a decent season and had the most important role of all these players on his team, but there are question marks behind his ability to play like this on a higher level as well (his Euroleague performance wasn't that great, although to be fair one must say that it was better until the PG change on the team).
It seems that Nick Calathes will be invited as well, but he never played against pro competition before, is not really the best shooter around, and last but not least: he's a PG, the position this team is best at. If Giannakis selects him for the final roster, then we can be sure about another tournament with a lot of time for the 3-Guard system again. Not necessarily the worst thing if the other candidates can't convince at the training camp, but I'd prefer to have a SG/SF on the roster as well tbh, not only PGs, PG/SGs, SF/PFs, PFs and Cs...
Vasileios Spanoulis
Banned
robbe said:
I like your squad but I would replace Vasilopoulos with Perperoglou. I know he doesn't have the experience in these big moments in the national team like Vasilopoulos does but IMO Perperoglou is a big time talent and he's the type of player that is needed at that level if Greece wants to compete. Vasiliadis is a shooter the team needs but I don't want players just for need of one area. At this level Greece needs all-around talents with the ability to also physically compete with teams like USA.
I'd rather have an all-around talent and athlete like Perperoglou than a shooter like Vasiliadis or a defender like Vasilopoulos.
Vasileios Spanoulis
Banned
KWSN-Men said:
Not this again. NO! He's IS a POINT GUARD. What is with you and this shooting guard/point guard thing. Nick Calathes is a point guard.
Vasileios Spanoulis
Banned
Trifilli said:It seems that Nick Calathes will be invited as well, but he never played against pro competition before, is not really the best shooter around, and last but not least: he's a PG, the position this team is best at. If Giannakis selects him for the final roster, then we can be sure about another tournament with a lot of time for the 3-Guard system again. Not necessarily the worst thing if the other candidates can't convince at the training camp, but I'd prefer to have a SG/SF on the roster as well tbh, not only PGs, PG/SGs, SF/PFs, PFs and Cs...
Nick Calathes is a very good shooter.
Trifilli
Super Moderator
Vasileios Spanoulis 666 said:
Well, 36.7% from NCAA distance = "he's not really the best shooter around" for me. He may be very good, but he's not the shooter this team lacks most likely, especially having to adapt to the FIBA threepoint distance.
As for Vassilopoulos: he's really raw on the offensive end, but we need his defensive skills, especially since Chatzivrettas is gone, who is a top defender. And Vassilopoulos can not only defend SG/SFs, but also mobile PFs - see his defence on Smodis in the end of last years EC game vs. Slovenia.
With the problems on the SF position I can't see him being left out, it's rather a possibility that both him and Perperoglou, or him and Vassiliadis (and so on) will be selected imo.
Vasileios Spanoulis
Banned
Trifilli said:
Calathes is not ready for this level or to make the team. But he IS a very good shooter. You can't just look at stats to determine if a guy can shoot or not.
Trifilli
Super Moderator
Vasileios Spanoulis 666 said:
All that matters is if he is a very good shooter for that level now, since we're discussing the team for the qualifying tourney and possibly the Olympic Games here. It doesn't matter if he has a great technique or if he'll be a great shooter on that level in the future. And yes, you can look at stats to come to a conclusion there, I don't expect a guy who shoots 36.7% from the NCCA three-point distance on the NCAA level to suddenly be the shooter the greek team needs on the level of the Olympic Games. So atm "he's not really the best shooter around". If he was, he'd be helpful on this level.
KWSN-Men
Active member
Vasileios Spanoulis 666 said:
Man, you have no idea about European basketball. Yes, in USA he is a PG, in Europe he is a SG, just like your eternal love. A PG is about organising the game, setting the pace etc. Guess what, bball is a game mainly of pace.
STOP spamming threads about European basketball with your views of US basketball. WE DON'T CARE!
PS: His shooting is inconsistent. One night he is shooting great, one not. So is his shooting technique.
Vasileios Spanoulis
Banned
KWSN-Men said:
You are just a complete fool. It doesn't mean anything about this "Europe" "USA" magical fairy tale you have created that in one place a player is a point guard and in another he is a SG.
Amazing that on the Greek forum where this argument came up Trifilli had to explain to you that Spanoulis IS in fact a point guard. Strangely you have not been stalking him and attacking him for saying that, nope just me. If you think Calathes is a shooting guard you are a basketball retard.
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Vasileios Spanoulis
Banned
Trifilli said:
He can shoot, he's just not ready for the Olympics. The reason his percentage is not that great is because he was not initially ready for NCAA either. It's the same thing. Players need an adjustment period every time they move up in competition level.
Chuck Diesel
Member
Calathes is a big guard with a good handle and control the tempo of the game. Sometimes he gets a little wild and undisciplined (high TO games) and his feet are not exceptionally quick defensively. He's a good rebounder for a guard and a guy who I think has a chance to be a tremendous college basketball player in the next few years.
In regards to the PG, SG debate-I don't see him controlling the ball if he were to make the Greek senior team. So in that scenario, if he were to get on the court it would be as a wing player.
Can he speak Greek?
In regards to the PG, SG debate-I don't see him controlling the ball if he were to make the Greek senior team. So in that scenario, if he were to get on the court it would be as a wing player.
Can he speak Greek?
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