Greece defeat Germany to win second European title
(AP)
Updated: 2005-09-26 10:04

The game was decided in the third quarter when Greece made three straight 3-pointers at the start of the period, two by Papaloukas. When Papaloukas hit another with 1:53 left in the third, Greece had a 17-point lead and the game was all but over.

Germany's Dirk Nowitzki (L) is comforted by his teammate Demond Greene at the end of the match against Greece at European basketball championships final match in Belgrade September 25, 2005. [Reuters]

Nowitzki, who had carried Germany to the final, left the game with 3:22 remaining to a standing ovation. He finished the tournament averaging 26.1 points.

"We are happy with what we achieved," he said. "Greece was simply the better team."

Germany won its first medal since winning the title at home in 1993.

"They were just a step quicker," Germany coach Dirk Bauermann said.

Center Patrick Femerling added 11 points for Germany. Nikolaos Zisis had 13 points for Greece and Michail Kakiouzis added 11. Greece was 7-for-21 on 3-pointers while Germany went 3-for-16.

"Now I am on top of Europe, not as a player but as coach," said Greece coach Panagiotis Yannakis, who played on the 1987 team.

In the third-place game, Mickael Pietrus of the Golden State Warriors added 23 points for France. Juan Carlos Navarro had 17 points for Spain.

Parker ran into the stands after the buzzer to celebrate with about two dozen singing French fans.

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