Greeks to sharpen focus for knockout stage

ATHENS (FIBA Basketball World Cup/EuroBasket) - If Fotis Katsikaris learned anything at the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup, it's that international tournaments have important games and then extremely important games.

One of the leading basketball nations for the past decade, the Greeks were eager to get to the podium of a tournament for the first time since EuroBasket 2009 when they finished third.

Greece did a fine job in their preparations and were ready to hit the ground running when they left for Seville, Spain, to play in Group B.

The national team had the look of medal contenders and had a full head of steam.

But when the format changed to do-or-die in the Round of 16, Katsikaris' players succumbed to a heavy defeat to Serbia.

The big loss was the last thing anyone expected back in Athens because Greece had been so convincing in their early games.

Rest assured that Katsikaris, who is meticulous in his preparations, will have his players ready for EuroBasket 2015 after being drawn in Group C with Georgia, the Netherlands, Slovenia, The Former Yugoslavia Republic of Macedonia (MKD) and hosts Croatia.

He expects to face a hostile environment, especially against Croatia, and Slovenian and MKD sides that have huge travelling fan bases.

"One thing is certain: The arena in Zagreb will be full," he said. 

"There will be a great atmosphere." 

As for the opponents? 

"Croatia is a good team," he said. 

"We faced them also in the recent World Cup in Spain. 

"Slovenia is getting more and more mature, while against MKD the games are always tough. 

"We must be careful against Georgia and Netherlands is a new team for us and it's a team that will add something different in the group and the competition. 

"We are in a tough group but it's very early to judge anything. 

"We have to see which players will be healthy and available in summer, in order to build the team in the best possible way."

Then, Katsikaris hopes, his players will be breathing fire when the elimination phase starts.

"The draw in not bad, but it's just the draw," he said. 

"We have to be ready for the group and then the knockout games. 

"We have learned our lesson in Spain."

FIBA