Greece handled their business to reach 2–0, taking care of Cyprus in Limassol with a measured performance that emphasized defensive control and paint touches. With Giannis Antetokounmpo involved from the bench group and the rotation spreading minutes, Greece protected the ball and owned the glass. Cyprus competed and produced encouraging spells, but the four‑time champions kept the game in their structure and managed the scoreboard.
The victory positions Greece well for the stronger tests ahead in Group C, including meetings that will shape seeding for the Riga bracket. The approach—low‑error offense, sturdy rim protection, and consistent rebounding—looked built for tournament play. For Cyprus, the challenge is to transfer those strong periods into longer stretches while discovering reliable secondary scoring to ease the burden on the lead guards.
The result also recalibrates Group C after Spain’s upset loss to Georgia, opening different pathways to the top four. With multiple heavyweights in the mix, Greece’s margin for error remains slim, but their floor looks higher than most thanks to defensive stability and half‑court clarity.
The group phase runs from August 27 to September 4 across Riga (Group A), Tampere (Group B), Limassol (Group C) and Katowice (Group D). The Round of 16 is single-elimination on September 6–7, followed by quarterfinals on September 9–10, semifinals on September 12, and the final on September 14 in Riga. Twenty-four teams play five group games each, with the top four in every group advancing. These dates and the multi-host setup are defined by FIBA for EuroBasket 2025 and shape the tactical choices teams make during the first week.
