FIBA Europe - Germany, Spain, Slovenia win on dramatic opening night at EuroBasket

SEVILLA (EuroBasket 2007) - Dirk Nowitzki and Germany beat the Czech Republic in overtime and Jorge Garbajosa made a triumphant return for world champions Spain against Portugal on the opening night of EuroBasket 2007.

On an incredible evening, Slovenia also took center stage by blowing a huge lead against Italy, only to edge them 69-68 on Jaka Lakovic’s buzzer-beating three-pointer.

Dallas Mavericks star Nowitzki, the NBA’s MVP in 2006-07 and the MVP of this tournament two years ago in Belgrade after leading his team to a silver medal, poured in 35 points and grabbed 11 rebounds as Germany won 83-78.

In the opening Group C game played in Palma De Mallorca, Mithat Demirel weighed in with 18 points for Germany.

Demirel was especially good at the end, hitting 11 of 14 free throws, including two to give Germany an 81-78 lead with 28 seconds to play.

For Spain, Garbajosa was only cleared to play on Sunday after receiving a special insurance policy – he had an operation on serious ankle and leg injuries at the end of March.

Having not played in any of the warm-up clashes, he entered the game near the end of the first quarter to a huge ovation in Sevilla and played almost 16 minutes in Spain’s 82-56 thrashing of Portugal.

Voted to the NBA’s All-Rookie first team this past season with Toronto, he finished with eight points.

Spain only led 16-13 with two minutes remaining in the first quarter when Rudy Fernandez buried a jump shot to spark a 16-0 run. The Portuguese ended up trailing 46-21 at half-time.

Pau Gasol had 19 points – nine of them in the first quarter – to lead Spain, who played without the Memphis Grizzlies’ summer signing Juan Carlos Navarro.

The 6-4 guard has a leg injury and may not even return by Friday, the start of the second phase of this tournament.

Garbajosa’s Toronto teammate, Andrea Bargnani, had a nightmare start to the EuroBasket with just four points on two of eight shooting as Italy lost to the Slovenians.

In the Group D game, Ales Pipan’s Slovenia led 38-23 late in the first half but the Italians fought their way back into the game with 13-0 run, capped by an Angelo Gigli three-ball, to trail 38-36.

Slovenia again appeared to take command by building a 14-point advantage late in the third quarter, only for Italy to claw their way back.

Massimo Bulleri’s three-pointer with 30 seconds gave them a 65-64 lead.

A pair of Lakovic free throws would put Slovenia back ahead, 66-65 with 14 seconds remaining, only for Matteo Soragna to reply with a three to give the Azzurri a 68-66 advantage five seconds from the end.

Slovenia inbounded the ball, rushed it up the floor and Lakovic hit the three-pointer as time expired before being swarmed by his team-mates.

Earlier in Group D, Tony Parker was just five of 16 from the floor but finished with 16 points as France held off Poland, 74-66.

Andrei Kirilenko had 24 points and 12 rebounds as Russia prevailed in their Group A opener over Serbia, 73-65.

Darko Milicic had nine points and nine rebounds in a losing cause.

Also in Group A, defending EuroBasket champions Greece won 76-66 over Israel with Vasilis Spanoulis, who played with the Houston Rockets last year but has rejoined Panathinaikos this summer, pouring in 19 points.

Yotam Halperin had 20 points for Israel, who won the additional qualifying tournament to reach the EuroBasket Finals.

In the other games, Golden State Warriors big man Andris Biedrins had 14 points and seven rebounds as Latvia upset Croatia, 85-77, in Group.

Lithuania, the EuroBasket 2003 gold medalists, won 86-69 over Turkey in Group C with the MVP of that tournament four years ago, Sarunas Jasikevicius, leading the way with 18 points and eight assists.

Hedo Turkoglu scored 18 points in a losing cause.

Jeff Taylor, Seville
FIBA