Greece cruise past Iran to notch all-important first win

TURIN (2016 FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournaments) - Greece got their campaign at the 2016 FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Turin off to the best possible start with a comfortable 78-53 win over Iran on Monday.

Turning point: Early in the second quarter, Greece turned a 29-25 lead into a 39-25 advantage with back-up guards Giannis Athinaiou and Evangelos Mantzaris out on the court. The 10-0 run was triggered by a Ioannis Bourousis three-pointer.

Stats Don't Lie: Iran turned the ball over 15 times in the first half and Greece capitalised by scoring 19 points in building a 48-31 lead. Greece also shot the ball exceptionally well through the first two quarters, hitting five of their seven attempts from long range.

Game Hero: Giannis Antetokounmpo finished with 16 points on an efficient 7-of-8 shooting from the field, including 2-of-3 from three-point range. Special mention to Stratos Perperoglou and Kostas Koufos who had 9 points apiece in the first half.

The Bottom Line: Iran executed well on offense early on and had a terrific game-plan but Greece turned the contest in their favor by increasing the defensive pressure. If there were concerns about Greece's ability to knock down jump shots, they allayed those in the first half with five different players hitting from behind the arc. Greece's full-court pressure was a factor and will be raising eyebrows, especially with Thanasis Antetokounmpo having a strong performance.

FIBA