Spanoulis to lead Greece at EuroBasket 2015

ATHENS (EuroBasket 2015) - Vassilis Spanoulis is to resume his role as the Greek national team leader at EuroBasket 2015 after missing out on last summer's FIBA Basketball World Cup, Greece head coach Fotis Katsikaris announced on Friday.

The star guard headlines an impressively deep 15-man preliminary roster for EuroBasket 2015 which Katsikaris unveiled at a press conference in Athens.

"Already last year we had discussed with Spanoulis his role on the team," Katsikaris said.

"He will follow an individual programme during the first days of training camp before joining activities with the rest of the players."

"But that is all; he is otherwise in good physical condition."

Spanoulis has been struggling with knee problems during the past two years and missed several games with Euroleague runners-up Olympiacos last season, after sitting out the 2014 World Cup for some much-needed recuperation time.

In addition to Spanoulis, Katsikaris will also be able to count on the core of the team that had travelled to the World Cup, including rising star Giannis Antetokounmpo, Greece captain Nikos Zisis, forward Kostas Papanikolaou and playmaker Nick Calathes.

Meanwhile, two further important players are poised to pull on the Greek jersey again following a period of absence from the national team, in small forward Stratos Perperoglou and big man Kostas Koufos.

The veteran Perperoglou, who has just penned a deal for next season with Spanish powerhouse FC Barcelona, was forced to drop out of the Greek team last summer due to injury.

Koufos, who has recently joined the Sacramento Kings from Memphis Grizzlies, was included in the Greek preliminary roster for the World Cup but eventually did not report to training camp.

"I was in the wrong last year," Katsikaris stated bravely on Friday after announcing that the 26-year-old center would bolster the Greek frontcourt at EuroBasket.

"I did not establish proper direct contact [with Koufos] and there was a misunderstanding between us.

"The player had some personal issues, which are now resolved.

"We met in the USA this year; I saw first-hand how big his desire is to play for the national team."

While the return of these three players into the national team mix was expected, the preliminary roster also features the surprise inclusion of 25-year-old center Zisis Sarikopoulos, who has only played for Greece at junior level.

"We aim to get the best from each player," Katsikaris said.

"On this roster we can have several players who are big stars on their respective teams.

"But the good of the team is above any individual."

Greece will commence preparations on Friday 31 July in Athens and Katsikaris was clear that during training camp the team will build upon what was introduced during the World Cup, his first tournament at the helm.

"Our playing style will be based on what we showed last year [at the FIBA Basketball World Cup]," the Greek coach said.

"The players enjoyed that kind of game and our fans liked what they saw.

"Unfortunately our World Cup campaign ended with a bad game against Serbia [in the Round of 16].

"But I think that we are now smarter than last year.

"Defense is what lifts you to victories and we will be better defensively this summer."

Greece will play in Group C at the EuroBasket and face The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (MKD), Georgia, Slovenia, Netherlands and hosts Croatia in Zagreb.

Greece preliminary squad for EuroBasket 2015: Dimitris Agravanis, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Yannis Bourousis, Nick Calathes, Vlantimir Giankovits, Kostas Kaimakoglou, Kostas Koufos, Vangelis Mantzaris, Kostas Papanikolaou, Stratos Perperoglou, Giorgos Printezis, Zisis Sarikopoulos, Kostas Sloukas, Vassilis Spanoulis, Nikos Zisis.

Go to eurobasket2015.org for more coverage of EuroBasket 2015.

FIBA