Romania 73-66 Greece: "Suicide" finish for the Greeks who paid for their mistakes

The Greek national basketball team began its FIBA Basketball World Cup 2027 qualifying campaign with a disappointing 73-66 road loss to Romania. Despite controlling the game for approximately 35 minutes, Greece experienced a dramatic collapse in the final quarter, ultimately succumbing to Romanian pressure.

Throughout much of the match, the Greek squad, coached by Vassilis Spanoulis, maintained a lead. However, their focus wavered in the decisive period. The team committed a series of unforced errors and struggled to find offensive solutions, allowing Romania to mount a comeback. The fourth quarter saw Romania outscore Greece 22-8, a stark indicator of Greece's late-game struggles.

Romania's Daron Russell was instrumental in his team's victory, leading all scorers with 20 points and proving a constant threat to the Greek defense. For Greece, Giannoulis Larentzakis and Vassilis Charalampopoulos provided key offensive contributions, but it was not enough to secure the win. The loss marks a difficult start for Greece in their quest to qualify for the global tournament.