GRE – Greece’s Printezis injures shoulder in nasty spill

SEVILLE (2010 FIBA World Championship) - Greek basketball fans that watched Georgios Printezis play for Unicaja Malaga against Cajasol Sevilla on Sunday were left holding their breath after the national team forward had a hard fall.

Printezis, who will play for the Greeks at the 2010 FIBA World Championship, lost his balance while dunking with two hands and crashed to the floor.

He was stretchered off the court with his neck and head immobilized and then examined at hospital before being allowed to return to Malaga with his team after Unicaja's 63-61 defeat - their fifth loss in as many ACB games this season.

Unicaja Malaga released a statement after the game about Printezis which said: "He had a scan on his spine, brain and head that has discarded any consequence in his head but tests done on his right shoulder have revealed a fracture of the acromion.

"The player was discharged from hospital and will return to Malaga with the rest of the team."

No indication was given as to when the 24-year-old will resume playing.

Printezis forced his way into the Greece squad for the 2008 FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament and represented the country at the Beijing Games.

He was a vital part of Jonas Kazlauskas’ team at EuroBasket 2009 in Poland that won the bronze medal and earned a trip to the 2010 FIBA World Championship in Turkey.

FIBA