Rubio, Fernandez lift Spain to quarters
September 4, 2010
ISTANBUL (AP)—Juan Carlos Navarro(notes) scored 22 points for Spain in an 80-72victory that eliminated Greece from the basketball world championships Saturday.
The Spaniards made 8 of 18 3-pointers and used a 13-3 run in the fourthquarter to push ahead during the game in the round of 16.
Greece closed within 72-68 on Vasileios Spanoulis’ layup with 1:01 left inthe game, but Ricky Rubio(notes) answered with two free throws.
“It was very a tough game for us,” Rubio said of a game which drew 15,000to Sinan Erdem Dome. “Obviously it was not easy. We have faced some similarproblems before with teams like Lithuania because they play very physically andtough.”
Rudy Fernandez(notes) of the Portland Trailblazers scored 14 for Spain.
Dimitrios Dimantidis and Nikolaos Zisis each had 16 points for the Greeks,which has lost to Spain seven straight times. Sofoklis Schortsanitis added 13points.
Spain built a 37-31 going into halftime as Greece missed all three of its3-point attempts.
“We had trouble attacking their zone,” Greek coach Jonas Kazlauskas said.“Our shooting from outside was not strong enough to beat a team like Spain.”In the second half, Greece made seven of 20 3-point attempts.
Still, Greece opened the second half with a 7-0 run keyed by turnoverscaused by Schortsanitis, who finished with 13 points.
First, the Greek center ripped the ball from guard Spanish guard Juan CarlosNavarro.
After a jumper by Zisis, the 6-9 center stayed on his feet to easily block arunning layup attempt by 7-1 Marc Gasol(notes). Antonios Fotsis then hit a corner threeto put Greece up 38-37 two minutes into the half.
Greece built its lead to as much as 51-45 with 2:45 left in the thirdquarter, but Spain scored six straight points to end the quarter.
The Greeks struggled to shoot over Spain’s zone in the last quarter, makingonly seven of 18 field goal attempts.
And when they did get to the free throw line, the struggles didn’t end:Greece missed nine of 16 free throw attempts in the game.
“We wanted to play zone because some matchups on the pick and roll weregiving up problems,” Scariolo said.
Spain will play Serbia on Wednesday in the quarterfinals. Serbia beatCroatia 73-72 earlier Saturday.
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