Dimitris Itoudis: 'We can't have consistency that is needed with these injuries' / News - Basketnews.com

Greek national team head coach Dimitris Itoudis spoke about the dangerous nature of the match against Belgium, which will be played at 19:00 CEST on Sunday.

Credit: Vangelis Stolis Credit Vangelis Stolis

Greek national team (3-2) head coach Dimitris Itoudis spoke about the dangerous nature of the match against Belgium (3-2), which will be played at 19:00 CEST on Sunday.

Itoudis talked about the upcoming game of the qualifying phase of the World Cup 2023 at OAKA, as well as the absences that might hurt the Greek national team with the Novasports channel.

"At the moment we have [Ioannis] Papapetrou, [Georgios] Papagiannis, [Kostas] Sloukas, and Kostas Antetokounmpo out of action," said Itoudis.

"The two, unfortunately, became four, but for everyone we have lost, there is someone else who will fight and give his best self," added Itoudis.

Itoudis thanked Dimitris Kaklamanakis and his club Promitheas Patras, who agreed to allow the big man to join the national team on short notice.

On June 27, coach Itoudis cut Kaklamanakis from Greece's preliminary squad ahead of the 2023 World Cup qualifiers game against Great Britain in Larissa, but now the player is back with the team.

"Undoubtedly, the fact that we don't have tall bodies or those who play in those positions forced us to bring in [Dimitris] Kaklamanakis for whom we thank him, as well as Promitheas, who responded immediately," said the Greek coach.

"We can't have that consistency that is needed, nor did we expect it to be like that with these injuries. However, as we said for every single athlete who is not in the current phase here, we have someone else who will give his best," explained Itoudis.

Itoudis when talking about the upcoming game against Belgium gave the opponents a lot of respect.

"This particular game, when we have lost four very important players in a short period of time, is very dangerous," stated Itoudis.

"The Belgians are a team with cohesion and good automation. They have the same coach for many years, no doubt, they have three very good creators," Itoudis added.

"It is a team that needs special attention and nothing is taken for granted. It's a very difficult game and that's how we approach it," Itoudis explained.

"I think we have the empathy and the responsibility to reflect on what this game needs, step by step to go into the game and claim what we can and take another step towards qualifying for the World Cup," Itoudis concluded.

In the game against Belgium (3-2) at a packed OAKA arena (a sold-out is on the cards) on Sunday night (19:00 CEST), Greece (3-2) will seek their fourth win in the World Cup 2023 European qualifiers Group I.

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