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With a score of 72-80 ended the match from the World Basketball Championship between the teams of Greece and Spain. The meeting with the Spanish team was definitely difficult for the Greeks, but nevertheless, the country’s hopes to qualify for further phases of the championship "were burning" up to the last minute. Transitory mistakes and loss of concentration in the final of the match, however, proved fatal for the blue and white team... With their loss from tonight, they dropped out completely from the championship and the winner Spain qualified among the eight best in Ankara.

At the beginning of the meeting, Greece showed that it is not afraid from the opponent. Although at the very start of the game Spain showed their strength, Greece entered into the game as an equal opponent. During the fourth minute thanks to Garbahota the Spaniards took the lead and gave rise to a ... tough game. The Greeks stood up quickly back on their feet, and even made up for the loss by gaining an advantage of 17-11. In the last minutes of the first quarter however the Spaniards dealt with the raising its head opponent by putting into the game Gul and Lopez. They won the minutes by 22 - 19.

During the second quarter the defense of the Spaniards strengthened. The player Vaskez stormed on the floor and the Spaniards rose the difference in the score to 7 points. Nikos Zisis managed to save the Greek team and lead the difference to 1 point. Thus, tension rose again. In this critical moment Navarro took over the reins of the team and the Spaniards again won an advantage of 6 points. The second quarter ended with the score 37-31 for the Spaniards.

The third quarter started very well for Greece. With a series of 7-0 the team managed to catch up again with the Spaniards to gain an advantage of 38-37. Tension was again in its peak, and also the continuation of the game was very emotional. Greek national team once again evened the score and won 6 points ahead of targets. In very good shape during the minutes were Nikos Zisis and Dimitris Diamantidis.

The answer of the Spaniards was not late. The players Gul and Lopez again created serious problems to Greece and with a series of 0 -7 took the lead by 52-51 in the 30th minute. In the last quarter the drive of the Spaniards to take the lead in the score stopped Dimitris Diamantidis. Thus, during the 35th minute the difference was again only one point and... game of nerves continued.

Greece did not last long to these few stressful situations. The national team lost its concentrations and for 2 minutes gave the Spaniards 7 points. The game slipped from their hands, and along with this also their qualification for the next round. At the end Spanoulis decreased the difference in the score to 4 points but a minute before the final with a few precise hits in the basket of Greece the Spaniards secured their victory.