[1/4 Finals] Greece - Russia

[fasoulaki]

The failures have a common denominator. Vasilakopoulos!!! Time to retire and let the young generation to take over and change things. He needs to be ousted!!!

I had a look on the results generated during the presidentship of Vasilakopoulos. He reigned from 1998 till 2002 and from 2010 until today.

How many medals did the mens team generate during the reignship of Vasilakopoulos also known as Kim Jong Un?

Answer: Zero!!!!!!!

1999: Failure in group phase with Zouros in the coaching stuff
2001: Papaloukas misses free throws against Nowitzkis Germany
2010: Fight between greek and serbia players and Diamantidis leaves the team
2011: FYROM placed 1st and Greece placed 2nd in the group
2012: Nigeria kills us in OQT
2013: Greece leaves tournament in 2nd group phase
2015: Spain serves their customers
2016: Serbia kick greek asses
2017: Greεce plays S5 for 39 minutes

On his grave we will write "THe president of medals"

[KWSN-Men]

I gotta say that airball by Calathes is the highlight of this game for me Otherwise, hard to watch.

Printezis is the best PF in Europe bar none...

Extreme scouting ability detected.

[KWSN-Men]

Either he is your brother or lover, otherwise you will always find a way to defend him. Read my post I said he played very well in the first half but he made soooooo many mistakes in the second, that along with Sloukas he is the biggest reason you have thrown this away in the second half...

No, you didn't say he played very well, you said he had a solid game.

Solid game while destroying Sved in defense and leading Greece in offense. Solid.

CG is right. TrollZ is more suiting.

[CoachZ]

No, you didn't say he played very well, you said he had a solid game.

Solid game while destroying Sved in defense and leading Greece in offense. Solid.

CG is right. TrollZ is more suiting.

Right, a solid game means he played like shit? Hahah. Gang up boy, gang up

He made mistakes in the key part of the game, along with Sloukas why is that so hard to admit? He played a very good game overall and even did good towards the end, but when you were sinking after leading the whole game, him and Sloukas just disappeared...

Anyway, best of luck in future endeavors.

[Joško Poljak Fan]

I won't be the same pain in the ass as some posters were 10 years ago, majority of them aren't here anymore anyway...
But I if wanted to be an asshole, I would start trolling about Calathes pulling out a "Lakovič" - you know very well what I am talking about.

Now some individuals might finaly be willing to consider what happens when PG is flat out wasted in the final minutes.


Too bad Greek coach didn't put in someone else in for some minutes in the 3rd or 4th quarter, it was a pain to see Calathes as tired at the end and what it meant for Greek NT, that would in my opinion, mostlikely get into the semifinals, if it wasn't for that.

[usagre]

Now some individuals might finaly be willing to consider what happens when PG is flat out wasted in the final minutes.


Too bad Greek coach didn't put in someone else in for some minutes in the 3rd or 4th quarter, it was a pain to see Calathes as tired at the end and what it meant for Greek NT, that would in my opinion, mostlikely get into the semifinals, if it wasn't for that.

The problem with that is although a player could be better at closing time because of those few rest minutes you mention you can also lose the game during those few minutes that he is substituted as well. There's a balance that needs to be struck and not as easy as everyone here is making out to be. In a crucial game I would rather have my best player play maximum minutes and risk that he won't be totally at his best at the end rather than play a backup in the second half and maybe cost me the game right there.

[Joško Poljak Fan]

Well, eventually in the last few minutes, or at least the 4th quarter overall it did end up with Boroussis shooting from 3 or going on post if I recall correctly - if you've got someone that is able to deliver the ball over half court, it's not much of a loss forcing up some 2 on 2 or 1 on 1, there are ways to fight that lack of organisation for those limited minutes. Naturaly there is luck involved, but that's either way.

Those players are ultra competitive and most of them won't ask for a substitution or feel sorry for themselves when tired, they'll squeeze their last atoms of energy out of them instead, that's why coaches are there.

And I could agree to some extent with what you've said, but with PG's in my opinion it's different, especially if they're not at the very least relieved by someone else bringing the ball up court. I love the tactic of wearing guards down (probably due to when I was playing coach loved giving me that job ) and with PG's it's extremely efficient since unless someone else steps up and potentialy brings the ball up court or helps with organisation, they've got less time to hide someplace, for those few seconds of rest, as well as having the ball in their hands more, making them the best possible targets for pressure and naturaly, due to their responsibility, mistakes.

Game organisation is important, having a sub pair player in charge of organising offense can cause some troubles, but than again nothing is worse than your PG being dead tired in the last 2-3 minutes of the game, when behind and when he has to give his absolute best.

[Levenspiel]

I watched this game on replay after reading this thread, and I was surprised to see that Calathes had actually played quite well. He was their best player imho. Successful Greek teams were blessed with exceptional PGs, and apparently their game-style needs another one to function at max capacity. Calathes is not that. Maybe Koniaris is the next one.

Congrats to Russia. I really liked Shved's boldness, as he complements it with skill and results, at least in this tournament.

[R1ou]

I watched this game on replay after reading this thread, and I was surprised to see that Calathes had actually played quite well. He was their best player imho. Successful Greek teams were blessed with exceptional PGs, and apparently their game-style needs another one to function at max capacity. Calathes is not that. Maybe Koniaris is the next one.

Congrats to Russia. I really liked Shved's boldness, as he complements it with skill and results, at least in this tournament.

I don't think the problem is Calathes but mainly that he's back-up Mantzaris can't do what he does in his club, so yeah Koniaris would help in that aspect. Anyways I do think in full strength we should make a run in '19..

[EverGreen]

I don't think the problem is Calathes but mainly that he's back-up Mantzaris can't do what he does in his club, so yeah Koniaris would help in that aspect. Anyways I do think in full strength we should make a run in '19..

Koniaris is nowhere this level. Dont look at what he does with his age-sakes but what he did in A1 and it was poor.

http://www.esake.gr/el/action/EsakeplayerView?idplayer=CF580EB7&mode=1&idteam=&idchampionship=44323D2A

[R1ou]

Koniaris is nowhere this level. Dont look at what he does with his age-sakes but what he did in A1 and it was poor.

http://www.esake.gr/el/action/Esakep...nship=44323D2A

Not talking about now but in a 2 years time.