It’s Day 11 of the 2024 Paris Olympics, and the men’s basketball tournament is bringing in some unexpected moments! Germany eliminated Greece’s chances of moving further up the ladder. Audiences saw Giannis Antetokounmpo and Kostas Papanikolaou taking charge on both sides of the court, ending the first quarter with a 21-11 lead. But then, as the game progressed, Germany stole away all their chances of emerging victorious.

Of course, it was a tad bit gloomy back in the locker room for Giannis. But this did not stop Kostas from still handing out the praise over a well-fought effort by stating “Despite the elimination and our desire to bring joy and pride to the Greek people, I am happy for these players and proud of the effort we made over two months.”

Having only qualified on four occasions in the Olympics’s men’s tournament, with zero medals accompanying their name, the current roster comprising of Antetokounmpo and Papanikolaou had the best chance of pulling the country of this losing streak. Now, having set a 1-3 win record after reaching the Quarter-Finals, all hope is lost, but their spirit isn’t. The squad is happy, still, about learning valuable lessons amidst the defeat.

“There is certainly some bitterness, but I will smile because Greece showed in this tournament that we can look big teams in the eye, and this might be a sign for the future,” said Papanikolaou.

Despite their loss, Greece made sure they did not go down without putting up a fight. Antetokounmpo and Papanikolaou’s duo scored 34 and 17 points respectively against Canada. Then, against Germany, Kostas added 10 points to the overall score, going 4-9 with his field goals, 2-5 with his three-pointers, and 2-4 with his two-pointers. Other players on their roster, like Nick Calathes, also stepped up to the occasion.

With a performance so strong, of course, Giannis almost refused the honor of being Greece’s flag-bearer at the opening ceremony earlier. Knowing the caliber his teammates hold, Giannis actually wanted Kostas to take the lead there. But by refusing the honor, Kostas too made sure that their efforts during the game weren’t individualistic in nature, but rather collective.

While not being much on the offensive side, he made use of passes and assists to get the ball in the hands of his teammates as much as possible. By going 77-71 in the matchup against Australia, Greece was able to secure its first Olympic win after 16 years (or 4 Olympic Games). Therefore, even if the road has ended for now, the national team’s established standing is an indication that better days are yet to come.

Kostas Papanikolaou removes any doubt about not possessing a desire to win

Going into the 2024 Paris Olympics, the Greece National Team seemed to have done everything right. They qualified after having failing to do so at the previous three Olympic Games and built up a powerhouse roster that could have finally brought a medal home. Having now lost, it would be quite easy for all sorts of acquisitions to fly around. Fortunately, Kostas Papanikolaou is already looking to cover for the same.

During the same post-game presser, the small forward emphasized that their Paris Olympic run was not a failure but a success. After all, not every team can boast about reaching the Top 8. Furthermore, having realized that the jersey he wears represents the dreams of over “10-11 million Greeks” it would not be right for him and the Greek roster to be accused of not giving their 100%.

“You can not sign a contract with success,” said Papanikolaou. “I can assure you that our desires are not smaller than that of (Franz) Wagner or (Dennis) Schroder. Nobody is going to give you anything. You must outplay them on the court.”

What were your thoughts on Greece’s performance throughout the tournament? Let us know in the comments down below.

Before you go, do not forget to check out this crossover between BG12 and Georgia Bulldogs star Asia Avinger