Greece rallies with second-quarter defence to beat Cyprus in final World Cup warm-up

Greece’s national basketball team defeated Cyprus 43-32 in a friendly match at the Telekom Center Athens on Monday, with a strong defensive performance in the second quarter helping secure a double-digit lead. The game, broadcast live on ERT2 Sport, served as Greece’s final warm-up before critical FIBA World Cup 2027 qualifiers against Ukraine on Aug. 28 and Spain on Aug. 31.

Earlier in the match, Greece trailed Cyprus 17-19 after the first period, struggling with defensive lapses near the basket and shooting inaccuracies that carried over from a previous friendly against Poland. The deficit persisted into the second quarter, with Cyprus leading 25-28 and 31-32 before Greece’s defensive surge shifted the momentum.

Before tip-off, players from both teams stood arm-in-arm and sang Greece’s national anthem together, a moment of unity captured on video. The anthem is shared by both nations.

The friendly was Greece’s last preparation match ahead of its qualifying fixtures, which will determine its path to the 2027 FIBA World Cup. The team’s performance against Cyprus followed a pattern of defensive adjustments and offensive inconsistency, as noted in live updates from the venue .

The anthem ceremony and the match were held at the T-Center in Athens, with ERT2 Sport providing the live broadcast .