Germany, Italy and Slovenia all hoping to remain undefeated, close in on Final Phase
TEL AVIV (FIBA EuroBasket 2017) - Germany, Italy and Slovenia will all be fighting to remain undefeated at FIBA EuroBasket 2017 and take a major step towards the Final Phase.
TEL AVIV (FIBA EuroBasket 2017) - Three teams - Germany, Italy and Slovenia - can put one foot solidly in the Round of 16 of FIBA EuroBasket 2017 on Sunday if they can grab their third victory in as many games in Groups A and B.
Dormite sereni stanotte. E domani carichi perché arriva la Lituania...
— Italbasket (@Italbasket) September 2, 2017
🛌💤💙#Azzurridentro pic.twitter.com/9YpcRj0LZk
The team facing the biggest test of that trio will be Italy, who take on Lithuania in what should be a thrilling encounter in Group B in Tel Aviv. Lithuania enter the game with a 1-1 record after beating Israel. The Baltic side has never lost to Italy in eight games, including winning in the Quarter-Finals of FIBA EuroBasket in 2013 and 2015.
But Lithuania will need to stop Italy's blistering hot shooters, who have hit 52 percent of their three-pointers in the first two games, including 17-of-31 against Ukraine.
.@Italbasket 🇮🇹 put on a little 3-point festival against @UkrBasket 🇺🇦 tonight, missed it? WATCH THIS!
— FIBA (@FIBA) September 2, 2017
📖 https://t.co/jnxPTmX8jq pic.twitter.com/946ogtD42z
Germany can also jump to 3-0 in Group B in Tel Aviv should they beat winless hosts Israel in the last game of the day. Dennis Schroder has been nearly unstoppable for Germany with 27.5 points and 4.0 assists per game. Israel have lost their first two games by 21 and 15 points.
#BAAAAM Team @DBB_Basketball win No. 2 in the 📚!!!💪🏼🇩🇪🏀 #KoerbeFuerD #EuroBasket2017 pic.twitter.com/BR0dH1odXo
— Daniel Theis (@dtheis10) September 2, 2017
The other Group B game has Georgia (1-1) facing winless Ukraine.
Group A's top billing in Helsinki will be undefeated Slovenia facing Greece, who are 1-1. Slovenia's retiring leader Goran Dragic has been amazing with a tournament-high 29.5 points a game. Luka Doncic has lived up to his hype as well, with 9.5 points, 8.0 rebounds and 4.0 assists.
🇸🇮 @kzs_si remain unbeaten in Group A after their thrilling win over @BasketFinland 🇫🇮 in Helsinki! #EuroBasket2017 pic.twitter.com/jLlizSQRLi
— FIBA (@FIBA) September 2, 2017
But Greece are 1-1 with a myriad of weapons on offense and defense and will be looking to rebound after losing to France on Day 2. These two nations have played in each of the past six FIBA EuroBaskets with Greece winning in the 2007 Quarter-Finals and the 2009 Third-Place Game - each time by one point.
The other games in Group A have hosts Finland facing Poland in a battle of teams with 1-1 records. France are also 1-1 ahead of their game against winless Iceland.
FIBA