GRE - Greece enter second round with backs against wall

KOPER (EuroBasket/FIBA Basketball World Cup) - Greece came into EuroBasket 2013 thinking they were possible medal contenders and all but a sure bet to qualify for the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup.

Ah, how things can change and now the Greeks have their backs against the wall as they attempt to just reach the Quarter-Finals in Slovenia.

Greece dropped their last two Group D games in Round 1 in Koper - against Italy on Sunday and Finland on Monday - and will begin Group F play on Thursday with an 0-2 record behind the quartet of teams with a 1-1 mark that are Spain, Slovenia, Finland and Croatia, while Italy are perched on top with a 2-0 record.

"The two losses to Italy and Finland really hurt us. Now we have our backs against the wall," said Greece forward Stratos Perperoglou.

"We have to go to Ljubljana and find the wins to help us qualify for the quarter-finals."

The Greeks' Group F games will be against two-time reigning champions Spain, tournament hosts Slovenia and tough side Croatia.

"For sure, if we play like today (Monday), this is not enough to compete in this tournament," said Greece coach Andrea Trinchieri after the crushing loss to Finland.

"We were lazy in moving the ball and we were not mentally consistent. We played too soft.

"It is good now that we have almost three days to look inside the team in order to find a solution to our mistakes."

Trinchieri had a legitimate excuse for the Italy loss as his team was playing a second game without floor general Vassilis Spanoulis, who sat with a twisted ankle.

But Spanoulis was back in the line-up against Finland and had a solid performance with 17 points, three assists and two steals. However, he also missed all six of his three-pointers and committed seven turnovers.

Still, it was the team's lack of mental toughness against the Finns that aggravated Trinchieri.

"It's not a matter of Xs and Os. It's about mentality. We had the wrong mentality, and this was not Vassilis’ fault,” the coach pointed out.

One thing is certain, Greece have the talent and experience to bounce back from this adversity.

"We just have to shake it off and look game by game. We have a good enough team, we just have to get it together," said Greece forward Michael Bramos.

Team captain Nikos Zisis expects a different Greece to turn up for Round 2.

"I believe in my team. We have the character and the personalities to change. And, believe me, it will be different in the second round," he warned.

Greece can ill afford anything else.

FIBA