European champions Greece went on a decisive run at the start of the second quarter en route to an 85-67 win against Portugal on Tuesday at the EuroBasket.

Portugal led 17-15 with two minutes to go in the first quarter but Greece hit them with a 16-2 run over the next seven minutes to take command.

The Portuguese never controlled Dimos Ntikoudis, who led the Greeks in scoring with 17

		Portugal would not go quietly as Filipe da Silva helped lead the offense behind five assists.

points and nine rebounds.

"We played the game really tough," said Greek captain Michail Kakiouzis, who contributed eight points.

"And if we play the rest of the games like this, we won't have any problems.

"Game by game, we're getting better, we're finding solutions on offense and that helped us on defense today, too. I hope and I think we will play better in the next games.

"We have really big confidence right now."

Despite trailing 45-34 at half-time, Portugal never gave up and cut the deficit to 45-37 early in the third quarter but the Greeks replied with a 6-0 run to stamp their authority on the contest.

Paolo Cunha's jumper with three minutes to go in the quarter gave Portugal a glimmer of hope, cutting the deficit to 54-47, but that soon faded away with Greece hitting them with a 10-0 run.

Greece led by as many as 21 points (75-54) with less than five minutes remaining but suffered a setback with Michailis Pelekanos having to leave the game after sustaining an ankle injury.

Questions about his fitness will now worry the Greeks as they prepare for the quarter-finals.

Greece were superior shooting the ball.

They were 29 of 48 (60%) from the floor while their opponents were 21 of 58 (36%).

Greece outrebounded Portugal 37 to 24.

Joao Santos had a team-high 17 points in defeat.

Portugal, because of the defeat, will not advance to the quarter-finals.

Portuguese forward Joao Gomes, who had tryouts with NBA clubs before this year's NBA draft, said: "We knew it was going to be a tough game against a team like Greece, but we played well for a while and we're proud of our performance throughout this tournament.

"To make it to the second phase of the competition is a big deal for Portuguese basketball and hopefully it can help the sport grow."

Greece

Michail Kakiouzis: "We played the game really tough. And if we play the rest of the games like this, we won't have any problems. Game by game we're getting better. We're finding solutions on offense and that helped us on defense today too. I hope and I think we will play better in the next games. We have really big confidence right now."

"Before the game, we knew we had to win the finish in third place. We started with power and during the game also and that's why we win so easily. It's the second game in a row we play better on offense. EuroBasket is a long tournament, very difficult, more than the World Championsip and Olympic Games. Here there are 10 teams and each can win the title. We need big support from everybody and we hope to play better and better. This round is the most important, because you can go out in one game. We must go there with confidence. 

Coach Panagiotis Yannakis: "I want to congratulate the coach of Portugal. They played like a team and showed how teams who don't have a big budget and tradition can play. I want to thank the coach for his work because I think it's very good for European basketball. I want to congratulate the players because they had concentration today, something you don't always see in this level."

"Today we had it, we moved the ball well, shot the ball good and this was the key. We play day-by-day better and my players will try to beat our best to knock out the next team. I'm very happy to see Nikos Galis again. He can still play. We see the new generation play good basketball. It's very nice and big honor for Greece that he's in the hall of fame. He was before, when he retired, he was in the heart of everybody in Greece and Europe because he was special. Everybody who watched him play, loved it."

"As a coach I saw Portugal play very good basketball. They tried to move the ball and have space. This is example for teams how to work and get better. I like that team and they can have big success. In the last years nobody knew they play so well in Portugal. This year we saw they have a very good and promising team for the future."

Portugal

Joao Gomes: "We knew it was going to be a tough game against a team like Greece but we played well for a while and we're proud of our performance throughout this tourmanent."
"To make it to the second phase of the competition is a big deal for Portuguese basketball and hopefully it can help the sport grow."

Elvis Evora: "We did a good job, a lot of people were surprised because they didn't know nothing about Portugal basketball. When we came here people thought we will go home early, but we surprised some people. We started well, but in the second part of the game things didn't go good for us. We go home with our heads up and very proud of ourselves."

Coach Valentyn Melnychuk: "Congratulations to the Greek team. We played today against the European champion, the runner-up in the world, against a great team and great players. I want to say thank you for our players and my colleagues and all staff in Portuguese federation for our preperation and everything they have done for us to play good in EuroBasket 2007. Today wasn't our best day in basketball life, but we go back to Portugal and I hope this championship will help the push and develop basketball in Portugal. We make all that is possible today to surprise, but it's a great team, very experienced team, and it was impossible for us to beat them."

Greece knew that advancing to the quarter-final round would be anything but straightforward after losing Antonis Fotsis in the build-up to the EuroBasket to a broken finger.

It is no surprise, then, that they must beat a dangerous Portugal side on Tuesday to reach the last eight.

The defending champions showed signs they may be returning to the form that saw them win the title two years ago and then stun Team USA at last year's FIBA World Championship in Japan.

		Evora must make Papadopoulos work hard for his points today

Portugal, meanwhile, are on an emotional high after keeping their quarter-final hopes alive with a surprise win over Israel.

“Playing Greece, now, will be our final,” said Portugal’s outstanding point guard Filipe da Silva.

Even if the Portuguese do not reach the last eight, the effort of this year’s team has been one of, if not the proudest moment, in the country’s basketball history.

Last result: Portugal 95 Israel 87; Greece 81 Croatia 78.

Key Match-up: Elvis Evora v Lazaros Papadopoulos. Just when we thought the 2.10m Greek center Papadopoulos wasn’t going to be much of a factor in the tournament, coach Panagiotis Yannakis made him the number one option against Croatia and he scored the majority of his 22 points in the first half. Evora is big, strong and plays with passion. He must push Papadopoulis off the low blocks and make him take difficult shots.

Key Stats: Dimitrios Diamantidis is the best defensive player in Europe, but he is able to provide points when called upon as he did against Croatia. He connected on four of seven attenots from three-point territory and finished with a game-high 23 points.

Speaking out: “We still have a chance to reach the quarter-finals, and it’s not just a dream, but a possibility. Of course, we are facing one of the strongest teams and know what we are up against, but we are confident. For us, this game will be a learning process.” – Portugal’s Joao Santos.