Greece U18s Eliminated from World Cup Race After Heavy Loss to Germany

The dream of qualifying for the World Cup has been extinguished for the Greek U18 national basketball team. They suffered a heavy 99-69 defeat against Germany in their final Eurobasket match, failing to secure the coveted ticket and concluding their tournament journey in sixth place.

Greece started the game strong, leading 20-19 after the first quarter and showing they could compete. However, Germany significantly increased its intensity in the second period, outscoring Greece 26-15 to take a 45-35 lead into halftime. The German team dominated the third quarter with a 30-16 run, extending their lead to 24 points (75-51) and effectively sealing the victory.

Germany maintained control until the end, exploiting Greece's defensive gaps to reach the comfortable 99-69 final score. The Greek team's 18 turnovers proved costly, and Germany controlled the boards with 51 rebounds to Greece's 43. Germany also distributed the ball exceptionally well, with 32 assists.

Chrysostomos Chatzilambros was the standout player for Greece, achieving a double-double with 18 points, 14 rebounds, and 5 assists. Elias Chaidemenos contributed 8 points and 4 assists, while Thanasis Asimenios added 7 points. For Germany, Dusan Ilic was the star with 16 points and 11 assists, orchestrating the team's offense, and Lukai Anderson added 15 points and 4 blocks.