Thomas Walkup had 19 factors, Giannis Antetokounmpo added 13 factors in 21 minutes and Greece moved one victory from the Paris Video games, eliminating Luka Doncic and Slovenia 96-68 on Saturday from the semifinals of the Olympic qualifying event.
Doncic completed with 21 factors within the recreation in Piraeus, Greece, which marked first time the 2 NBA megastars confronted each other whereas representing their senior nationwide groups.
The matchup was one in all eight semifinals going down to find out the final 4 berths within the males’s basketball discipline for the Paris Video games.
Vasileios Toliopoulos added 14 factors for Greece, which can meet the winner of the Dominican Republic and Croatia on Sunday within the ultimate of the Greece event, with the Paris Olympics berth going to the winner.
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Different semifinal video games are going down Saturday at tournaments in Spain, Latvia and Puerto Rico.
Doncic, who performed by accidents within the NBA Finals for the Dallas Mavericks of their five-game loss to the Boston Celtics, averaged 31 factors in Slovenia’s first two qualifying video games. However he got here out flat on Saturday towards Greece’s large entrance line.
Slovenia was placed on its heels early, as Greece scored the sport’s first 13 factors and took a 32-14 lead on the finish of the primary quarter.
Greece’s benefit grew as excessive as 23 factors within the second quarter earlier than Slovenia used a late flurry to chop it to 47-33 on the half.
Greece got here out quick once more within the third, utilizing a 11-3 run to get a ways and carried a 16-point edge into the fourth quarter.
Slovenia shot simply 43% (23 of 54) from the sphere for the sport. That in comparison with 54% (34 of 70) for Greece, which additionally held a 38-25 rebounding edge.
In Riga, Latvia, Bruno Caboclo had 15 factors and 11 rebounds, and Brazil defeated the Philippines 71-60 to advance to the finals of that event.
Marcelinho Huertas added 13 factors to assist Brazil hold alive hopes of taking part in in its first Olympics since 2016.
The Brazilians will meet the winner of Cameroon and Latvia on Sunday within the finals of that event.
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Justin Brownlee completed with 15 factors and eight rebounds to steer the Philippines, which shot simply 38% from the sphere (24 of 64) for the sport and had 15 turnovers.
The Philippines led 33-27 at halftime earlier than Brazil opened the third quarter with a 14-0 run. It was a part of a 24-6 quarter for Brazil, which took a 51-39 lead into the fourth.
It was extra the identical within the ultimate interval. The Philippines obtained as shut as 53-46, earlier than Brazil responded with an 8-0 run to assist put the sport away.