GRE – Zouros names preliminary squad
ATHENS (EuroBasket 2011) - Dimitris Diamantidis is standing by his decision not to play for Greece this summer when the national team tries to qualify for the London Games. The 31-year-old point guard was a notable absentee from the squad that is to begin preparing for the EuroBasket in Lithuania, a group of players announced by new coach Ilias ...
ATHENS (EuroBasket 2011) - Dimitris Diamantidis is standing by his decision not to play for Greece this summer when the national team tries to qualify for the London Games.
The 31-year-old point guard was a notable absentee from the squad that is to begin preparing for the EuroBasket in Lithuania, a group of players announced by new coach Ilias Zouros.
There was speculation veteran playmaker Theo Papaloukas would feature for the first time since the Beijing Games but he, too, is not among those named by Zouros.
The absence of Diamantidis means that Nick Calathes (pictured), who had a terrific year with Euroleague winners Panathinaikos, should have a more prominent role.
Calathes and Diamantidis were teammates with Panathinaikos, with the latter named Euroleague MVP and Final Four MVP this season.
Veterans Vassilis Spanoulis, Sofoklis Schortsanitis, Antonis Fotsis, Ioannis Bourousis and Nikos Zisis are in the squad.
Greece squad: Vassilis Spanoulis, Nick Calathes, Nikos Zisis, Kostas Sloukas, Evangelos Mantzaris, Kostas Vasileiadis, Michael Bramos, Stratos Perperoglou, Kostas Papanikolaou, Loukas Mavrokefalides, Antonis Fotsis, Kostas Koufos, Sofoklis Schortsanitis, Kostas Kaimakoglou, Ian Vougioukas and Ioannis Bourousis.
FIBA