2015 Greek Team

[christodoulou76]

Who should be on the team? Should there be a coaching change? Lots to discuss.

While it is obviously too early to speculate, I will do it anyway.

Here is a possible "best available" squad for next year:

Calathes, Mantzaris
Spanoulis, Zisis, Sloukas
Papanikolaou, Antetokounmpo
Printezis, Kaimakoglou
Bourousis

Young players that might be invited to training camp: Bochoridis, Papapetrou, Agravanis, Diamantakos, Charalampopoulos, Papagiannis

Spanoulis' presence makes Vasiliadis expendable.

Backup center will be a problem. Some options:
a) Sofo and Koufos are problematic: will they ever be considered for the NT again?
b) we promote (very) young players like Diamantakos and hope they develop quickly.
c) we rely for the next couple of years on mediocre alternatives like Vougioukas, Glyniadakis, Mavroeidis, Kavvadas.
d) we rely on small schemes and select a third PF as a quasi-center: Mavrokefalidis, Tsairelis, Bogris.

Here is a possible "rebuilding squad":

Mantzaris, Bochoridis
Sloukas, Papapetrou
Papanikolaou, Antetokounmpo, Charalampopoulos
Printezis, Kaimakoglou
Diamantakos, Papagiannis

[panteluke]

Well, regarding players, I would also consider Perpe. He has some inside game that neither Papanikolaou or Antetokoumpo have.
As for the frontline:
1. I don't think that Koufos will ever be called again.
2. IMHO, unfortunately Sofo can only contribute as 12th player for special occasions, you cannot rely on him as a backup center.
3. Blackhead should be called.
4. In overall, I feel despressed when I think of the time that Bourousis 'll quit NT or basketball.

Now, as for coach, I have already stated that I don't like Katsikaris, he's overrated and much of his hype is due to the press. Is he better than Jonas? Yes. Better than Trinkieri or Zouros? Yes. But that's not good enough for me.
I want young and ambitious coaches for my club team. Not for my nt, where you have a tournament of 6-7 games.

I'd prefer someone like Zeliko or Duda. Or Pesic or Blat for example.

[christodoulou76]

I should have clarified that I also don't think Koufos should ever be called again. I was just laying out all the possible options as I see them, not only the options that I endorse. I disagree with you about Katsikaris. He has gained the trust of the players and got very good performances from them until the last game. So I think he should stay for at least one more year.

The question is: when will the 94-96 generation players be integrated into the NT and will we need a different coach when/if we go into rebuilding mode?

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I'm all for that rebuilding squad if you remove Printezis and replace him with Fotsis. More fundamentally sound player, more athletic, a better performer with the national team, has a winner's mentality, is the top scorer out of all current Greek players iirc, has cold blood in the clutch and is ideal to lead the youngsters.

We have an issue with our scoring guards though. Too many good guards but neither can replace the scoring of Spanoulis (however inefficient it was). So I might keep Zisis as well in the national team. He has his best games for the NT and has a lot of experience, so why not?

Vasiliadis has been branded as a shooter only because he can't do anything other than catch and shoot(and miss). He has no place in the national team. I'm not sure how good this Athineou guy is, but perhaps the coach should get a closer look at him for more guard depth.

[panteluke]

IMO, the 94-96 generation should take their place when they are better players than the current roster. There's no point in rebuilding with material of (currently) less quality. They can take games with their clubs to become better/more experienced, not with the nt.

[christodoulou76]

IMO, the 94-96 generation should take their place when they are better players than the current roster. There's no point in rebuilding with material of (currently) less quality. They can take games with their clubs to become better/more experienced, not with the nt.

The problem is that PAO and OLY have collected all these players but don't give them any playing time.

PAO: Pappas, Giankovits, Bochoridis, Charalampopoulos, Diamantakos, Papagiannis, Koniaris
OLY: Papapetrou, Agravanis, Christodoulou, Mouratos

How are all these players going to get playing time? It is a real problem. I would like to see some of them loaned to other teams.

I would like to see the following incorporation of young players into the NT:

2015: Final Roster (Papapetrou); Training Camp: Diamantakos, Bochoridis, Charalampopoulos, Agravanis, Papagiannis
2016: Final Roster (Papapetrou, Diamantakos); Training Camp: Bochoridis, Charalampopoulos, Agravanis, Papagiannis, Christodoulou, Koniaris
2017 Final Roster (Papapetrou, Diamantakos, Bochoridis, Charalampopoulos, Agravanis, Papagiannis); Training Camp: Christodoulou, Koniaris, Christidis, Lountzis

Of course, much will depend on how these players develop and on the retirement dates for key players on the current roster: Spanoulis, Zisis, Bourousis, Perperoglou, Kaimakoglou, Printezis.

[fasoulaki]

I think Katsikaris should stay head coach. He is the best option available for us at the moment because I have the impression that the players respect him unlike Zouros and Trinkieri before.

Regarding Koufos I think he will be pretty interested to participate in Olympic games. So maybe he would like to join for eurobasket next to keep the doors open for the Olympics. From my point of view he lost his spot in the NT roster after this year's absence but juding from the past and the Mavrokefalidis case I expect that the federation will invite him again if he is willing to play.

If Spanoulis excepts his role as SG he will be very valuable and surely should be part of team.

Although it was not officially communicated it turns out that Schortsianitis declined to join the NT due to his desease and his weight this year. Maybe if he manages to recover he will be available next year and also very valueable.

Of course we have to foster our young center talents like Papagiannis and Diamantakos but I doubt that they will have any significant contribution in the next 5 years.

[christodoulou76]

Really good points, fasoulaki. Vote for which players should be included in the NT here. Some surprising results (most ppl don't want Sloukas for instance)

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The problem is that PAO and OLY have collected all these players but don't give them any playing time.

PAO: Pappas, Giankovits, Bochoridis, Charalampopoulos, Diamantakos, Papagiannis, Koniaris
OLY: Papapetrou, Agravanis, Christodoulou, Mouratos

What do you mean "collected"? Pappas and Jankovic were first team signings, didn't play for coaching reasons or other reasons. Bochoridis is a new first team signing. The rest have been U21 players, mostly youth products of PAO. How is that a "collection"?

[panteluke]

I'm starting to get sick of the press regarding their stance towards Katsikaris. They treat him like he's a mixture of Phil Jackson, Zeliko and Pat Riley..

[Victorious]

Who should be on the team? Should there be a coaching change? Lots to discuss.

While it is obviously too early to speculate, I will do it anyway.

Here is a possible "best available" squad for next year:

Calathes, Mantzaris
Spanoulis, Zisis, Sloukas
Papanikolaou, Antetokounmpo
Printezis, Kaimakoglou
Bourousis

Young players that might be invited to training camp: Bochoridis, Papapetrou, Agravanis, Diamantakos, Charalampopoulos, Papagiannis

Spanoulis' presence makes Vasiliadis expendable.

Backup center will be a problem. Some options:
a) Sofo and Koufos are problematic: will they ever be considered for the NT again?
b) we promote (very) young players like Diamantakos and hope they develop quickly.
c) we rely for the next couple of years on mediocre alternatives like Vougioukas, Glyniadakis, Mavroeidis, Kavvadas.
d) we rely on small schemes and select a third PF as a quasi-center: Mavrokefalidis, Tsairelis, Bogris.

Here is a possible "rebuilding squad":

Mantzaris, Bochoridis
Sloukas, Papapetrou
Papanikolaou, Antetokounmpo, Charalampopoulos
Printezis, Kaimakoglou
Diamantakos, Papagiannis

Can't see how you regard Jankovic and Pappas as inexistent.

Regarding Koufos, I think considering Greece needs a second center badly they will call him. Sofo is not out of the picture yet either.

[Special K]

I'm not sure if this is really the right place to be asking this question, but do any of you know where Michael Bramos will be playing this season? And is it true that he has a long term injury keeping him out until 2015? I don't remember him having an injury for Panathinaikos last season and I'm pretty sure he played in the finals.

His wikipedia page says he played for Atlanta in the summer league and that he now plays for the Spurs, but I'm not sure about this.

[christodoulou76]

New article about Greek NT: http://nba.sport24.gr/article/344393...i-anupomonisia

Possible Roster:
Calathes, Mantzaris
Spanoulis, Pappas
Antetokounmpo, Papanikolaou
Printezis, Kaimakoglou
Bourousis, Koufos

Final guard spot contested between Zisis and Sloukas. Final SF/PF spot contested between Jankovic, Perperoglou, Papapetrou, Agravanis.

[INTEGRAL]

New article about Greek NT: http://nba.sport24.gr/article/344393...i-anupomonisia

Possible Roster:
Calathes, Mantzaris
Spanoulis, Pappas
Antetokounmpo, Papanikolaou
Printezis, Kaimakoglou
Bourousis, Koufos

Final guard spot contested between Zisis and Sloukas. Final SF/PF spot contested between Jankovic, Perperoglou, Papapetrou, Agravanis.

Why Mantzaris is chosen before Sloukas and Zisis?

This roster with Zisis, Perperoglou looks perfect to me.

[aenaon]

Why Mantzaris is chosen before Sloukas and Zisis?

This roster with Zisis, Perperoglou looks perfect to me.

Mantzaris is maybe the best "second role" guard in europe. Extremely consistent, excellent in organizing the defence, a machine allmost. He shares the role with zisis, and although I love Nikos, Mantzaris is my pick. However, Pappas shares the role with Sloukas, so if Pappas is in, Zisis is in and Sloukas is out I believe. Perperoglou is ok, but if the team goes for a more athletic setup, Jankotic or Papapetrou or Agravanis have the advantage.