Giannis Antetokounmpo had 20 points and seven rebounds as Greece outlasted Australia 77-71 on Friday to keep alive its hopes of advancing to next week’s quarterfinal round in Olympic men’s basketball.
Thomas Walkup added 18 points for Greece. Jock Landale led Australia with 17 points.
The top two teams in each of the three groups automatically qualify for the quarterfinals. The final two spots in the next round go to the best third-place teams in group play.
Greece entered the day 0-2 in Group A play, needing to beat the Aussies by 10 or more points and for Canada to defeat Spain to advance to next week’s knockout stage in Paris.
Greece’s six-point victory and a Canada win will still give Greece a third-place group finish, though advancing isn’t guaranteed.
Canada and Spain meet later in the day.
Australia erased what had been a 19-point deficit, getting within 71-69 with less than three minutes remaining on a pull-up jumper by Patty Mills.
Mills drew an offensive foul on Antetokounmpo, but Australia turned it over on its next possession.
Antetokounmpo found Vasilis Toliopoulos, who knocked down a 3-pointer to put Greece back up by five. It later grew to 77-70 on a 3 by Walkup with 1:04 left.
Australia’s Dyson Daniels had to go to the locker room for treatment in the second quarter after an awkward slip on the court. But he was able to return late in the period.
The Boomers are through to the quarter finals of the Paris Olympics, but not before a nailbiting wait. Fortunately for Australia, Canada held on in a thriller 88-85, seeing the Boomers go through in second place.
Australia will now face Serbia in the Quarter Final while Greece battles Germany in their clash for a spot in the Semis.
