Greece grind down France to reach semis
(Reuters)
Updated: 2006-08-30 17:21
SAITAMA, Japan, Aug 30 - European champions Greece ground out a 73-56 win
over France to advance to the semi-finals of the world basketball championship
on Wednesday.
Antonis Fotsis and Lazaros Papadopoulos led unbeaten Greece with 14 points
apiece in a low-scoring affair but the Greeks will hardly have frightened their
prospective semi-finals opponents.
United States and Germany play later on Wednesday for the right to face
Greece in Friday's final four.
Greece shaded a scrappy first two quarters, Dimitris Diamantidis providing a
rare highlight with an off-balance three at the buzzer to give his team a 34-24
halftime lead.
France also fell to Greece with team leader Tony Parker among their ranks in
last year's European semi-finals.
Parker broke a finger in the run-up to the tournament and France lacked any
sort of penetration against a physical Greek defense without the San Antonio
Spurs guard.
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