If -11 in the 5th minute with the Germans’ 7/8 3-pointers seemed incredible, then -15, which led to a 20-1 streak in the first seven minutes of the second half, was beyond imagination, with the unfortunate consequence of a painful elimination when our dreams reached gold medal.

Our national team said goodbye to the EuroBasket and Berlin won 107-96, in a match that started badly, then went well, but ended in an incredible way, in a nightmarish second half that reminded… Titanic.

Defeated in a ricochet battle and betrayed by their regional … air defense, the “white-blue” disappeared from the field for 20 minutes and became a punching bag for the Germans, who seemed to throw pebbles into the sea just as easily as they connected with the Greek basket.

Our team’s response to the incredible accuracy of the hosts in the first half was an amazing attack. He lost 57 points, but answered with 61 of his own and seemed to get over the initial shock, with Giannis Antetokounmpo as flag bearer and… the outstanding Larentsakis as alarm clock. An unexpected blackout early in the second half quickly brought the difference down to -16, and when it narrowed to -9 in the 33rd minute, Giannis was sent off for a second unsportsmanlike conduct in the 35th minute to mark the team’s final surrender. weapon. The difference even reached -21, while Germany had an unrealistic (for this level) three-pointer 17/31.

The Greek team did not make it into the top four – today the semi-final puzzle is solved.

Quarters: 31-27, 57-61, 83-71, 107-96

GERMANY: Gifai 3, Holatz, Law 3, Obst 19 (5/7 steals), Schroeder 26 (5/9 steals, 3/6 steals, 7/7 shots, 3 rebounds, 8 assists), Sengfelder, Theiss 13, Tiemann 10 , Vogtman 8 (2), Wagner 19 (2/5 doubles, 5/7 triples), Weiler-Bubb 6, Wolfart-Botterman

ELLAS: Agravanis 7 (2/4 doubles, 3/3 shots, 3 rebounds), Giannis Antetokounmpo 31 (12/17 doubles, 1/5 triples, 4/8 shots, 7 rebounds, 8 assists, 3 kg.), Thanasis Antetokounmpo 4, Kostas Antetokounmpo, Kalatis 2, Dorsey 13 (3/5 doubles, 2/7 triples), Larentsakis 18 (1/1 double, 4/4 triples, 4/6 throws), Lountsis, Papagiannis 6, Papanikolaou 7 (1 ), Papapetrou, Slukash 8.

Germany’s opponent in Friday’s semi-final will be… a seven-man Spain that, with the signing of 37-year-old Rudy Fernandez, celebrated a great -15 turn and a 100-90 victory over Finland. The other two quarter-finals will take place today, with the most interesting match between France and Italy taking place at 18:15. In the other game (21:30), Slovenia is the favorite against Poland despite Dragic being knocked out and Doncic suffering from a sprain.