GRE - Mantzaris goes all out in bid to make NT
ATHENS (FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament) - Evangelos Mantzaris is taking nothing for granted. After a breakout season with Olympiacos, one in which he bolstered his reputation as one of the great young talents in Greek basketball by helping the Reds win the Turkish Airlines Euroleague and the Greek League, the 22-year-old knows nothing is a given when it ...
ATHENS (FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament) - Evangelos Mantzaris is taking nothing for granted. After a breakout season with Olympiacos, one in which he bolstered his reputation as one of the great young talents in Greek basketball by helping the Reds win the Turkish Airlines Euroleague and the Greek League, the 22-year-old knows nothing is a given when it comes to the national team.
He’s in Greece’s preliminary squad, yes, but so are others.
Mantzaris shows up for practice each day and gives 100% in the hope that later this month, he’ll be on a plane to Caracas, Venezuela, for the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament (OQT).
"It's clear to me that the year with Olympiacos helped me immensely," he says.
"But this does not mean that anything has changed.
"You need to work hard to reach your goals.
"If I tried a hundred times last year, this year I will try a thousand and every year more and more - just so you achieve what your targets are.
"I wish and I hope to be in the final 12.”
Last season, opportunity beckoned for a lot of youngsters in the Greek set-up.
The national team was in transition, with Ilias Zouros coming in as a new coach and more senior players either hurt and unavailable or retired.
When it came time for Zouros to announce his 12-man list for the EuroBasket in Lithuania, Mantzaris' name wasn't there.
"It would be the icing on the cake of a great season for me to play in the national team,” Mantzaris said.
"But no matter what I do ... my wish is that the team is doing well. That's what I care about."
Mantzaris, who was speaking in the Greek media, understands that his national team will be among the favorites to claim one of the three spots on offer for the London Games at the OQT.
"The national team has been at the highest level for almost 25 years,” he said, “so I think it would be a failure if we do not qualify.
“On the other hand, however, it’s not easy.
“Make no mistake, all teams go there with the same goal…
“What is required now is hard work and to literally follow the instructions of the coach and do our best on the court.”
Greece will play Puerto Rico and Jordan in Group A of the OQT, which tips off on 2 July.
FIBA