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Lonely al the top |
| Theallineed.com |
The old saying goes that it's much easier to climb to the top of the hill than to stay up there. When you're the king everybody has extra motivation to beat you, and it means much more than just any old win. It's an ego booster, a PR achievement to the media and fans back home that can cover for losses in other games.
Once the EuroBasket champion marches into the subsequent competition we often see them as the clear favorites, but that's not necessarily the case. Out of the last six EuroBaskets the crown holders were winners in only 50% of their debut games.
Tonight the champs from Greece will take on Israel in their EuroBasket 2007 debut.
 | | Additional qualifiers Israel will have the task of taking down the defending champions. |
Israel is famous for their hard-nosed style of play. Facing the champs, who eliminated them two years ago, surely won't hurt their motivation. Of the eight games tonight, keep an eye on this one, to know in which direction EuroBasket 2007 will go – the champs' side or to the upset.
Here's a rundown on how the last few defending champions have done in their opening games.
2005: Lithuania defeated Turkey
Just like today, two years ago Lithuania opened their EuroBasket run against Turkey. Back then Lithuania were the champs, and a big night by Ramunas Siskauskas who scored 20 points and dished three assists, led his team to an 87-75 win.
2003: Serbia & Montenegro lost to Russia
Serbia & Montenegro totally dominated in 2001, and won the World title the next year, but arrived to the following EuroBasket with their second, or maybe even third, team. Andrei Kirilenko dumped 29 points and 10 boards to lead Russia to an impressive 95-80 win, and glued a loss to the champs on the first day.
2001: Italy lost to Greece
Italy broke the Yugoslavian streak in 1999, but already on the first game as champs lost 83-82 to Greece in a game that was close from the first to the very last second. Efthymios Rentzias wrote his tournament high with 22 points for Greece, while Gregor Fucka led the losing title holders with 21. The one point that separated them in their final point totals turned out to be crucial.
1999: Yugoslavia beat Israel
Yugoslavia lost the title in 1999 but entered the tournament as the reigning champs. Israel was unlucky to meet Dejan Bodiroga, Vlade Divac, Predrag Danilovic, Peja Stojakovic and Milan Gurovic, who were back with the National Team in this round, on opening night. Of all the big names it was Dejan Tomasevic who led the champs to an easy 81-61 win with a double-double of 24 points and 12 rebounds, while Doron Sheffer scored 18 for Israel.
1997: Yugoslavia beat Poland
When Yugoslavia showed up to EuroBasket 1997 as champs they tried to show from the first moment they didn't plan on giving up their title. Their first opponent was Poland, and after a close first half the champs took off on the way to a 104-76 win. Zeljko Rebraca was the top scorer for the winners with 18 while Adam Wojcik, back then a 27 year old "kid", led Poland with 13. Nowadays, at the age of 37, Wojcik will led Poland in probably his last EuroBasket.
1995: Germany lost to Lithuania
When Germany won the title in 1993 it caught Europe off guard. Showing up without their best player Detlef Schrempf, probably the first European, who made a real impact in the NBA, didn't stop Germany from making history and become the last team to win the title as the host. Two years later everything was back in place. Future runner-up, Lithuania, easily beat the champs 82-96 behind no less than 35 points by the great Arturas Karnisovas. Michael Koch led Germany with 21 points and a young forward by the name Ademola Okulaja scored his first 3 EuroBasket points. 12 years later he's still playing for Germany.
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| Quotes | Have you seen a tall, lanky dufus with a bird face and hair like the bride of Frankenstein?-Elaine, describing Kramer
Having major planets disappear is always a bad sign.- Jim Blinn
Great minds have purposes, others have wishes.- Washington Irving
Great spirits often meet violent opposition with mediocre minds - Albert Einstein
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