Barlos Masterclass Powers Greece Past Poland
Andreas Barlos delivered a commanding performance, scoring 33 points to spearhead Greece to a decisive 102-84 victory over Poland at the FIBA U16 EuroBasket.
Greece held a narrow 47-42 lead at halftime, but Poland remained within striking distance, trailing by just three points (72-75) entering the final quarter. It was then that Greece pulled away, outscoring Poland 27-12 in the period to seal the win. The Greek advantage was bolstered by a staggering 61-28 edge in bench scoring and suffocating defence, forcing 16 steals to Poland's 7. Greece also converted an impressive 31 of 38 free throws (82%), while Poland struggled from deep, hitting just 5 of their 27 three-point attempts (19%).
While Poland saw Michal Karsznia record a double-double with 10 points and 13 rebounds, and Alan Chojnacki chip in 14 points, their efforts were overshadowed by Greece's offensive firepower. Haralambos Christodoulou, also coming off the bench, added 15 points and 4 steals for Greece, while Georgios Charalampidis dished out 8 assists. Barlos's stellar outing, which also included 4 rebounds and 3 steals, proved the cornerstone of this Greek triumph, sending a strong message in the tournament.