PARIS — Franz Wagner and Germany overcame a sleepy start to ease past Greece, 76-63, on Tuesday and became the first team to reach the semifinals of the Paris Olympic men’s basketball tournament.
Wagner led Germany with 18 points while Dennis Schroeder chipped in with 13 as the World Cup winners improved their record to 4-0 securing their spot in a first ever Olympic final four where they await either Canada or France.
“It means a lot (to be in semifinals for the first time), I think everybody in the team knows that we have a special group,” said Wagner. “That’s motivation enough. I was seven, I think, when Dirk (Nowitzki) played in the Olympics and I think we’ve come a long way, and that’s because of guys like him. (It is) All on us to keep that going forward.”
Two-time NBA Most Valuable Player Giannis Antetokounmpo had a game-high 22 points in a losing cause for Greece, who had just one win in group action and squeaked into the last eight as the best third-place finisher.
The basketball tournament moved to Paris from Lille, where group play was held, for the knockout round with four quarterfinals highlighted by a showdown between medal contenders France and Canada followed by the LeBron James-led U.S. taking on Brazil.
–Reuters, Special to Field Level Media