Manu Ginobili No. 5 of Argentina drives to the basket. (Photo credit: Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)(BEIJING, August 20) -- A missed three-pointer ended the Olympic run for Greece, as Argentina was able to edge an 80-78 win in the quarterfinals of the Olympic Men's Basketball tournament on Wednesday, August 20.
The match was one of the most thrilling of the tournament, with the lead swapped 15 times between the two competitors. Greece was trailing 80-78 with 30 seconds remaining in the final quarter when it called a timeout. Once play resumed, Greece was set for the reversal, but a missed buzzer-beater attempt by Vasileios Spanoulis from three-point range locked the win for the defending Olympic champions.
"We have the experience, we know how to play these kind of matches," said Argentina forward Andres Nocioni. "This team will never get tired of being in the top teams."
Argentina's NBA star Manu Ginobili shined in the game with 24 points, while Carlos Delfino poured in 23 points and grabbed five rebounds.
Antonios Fotsis of Greece pulled down a double-double, netting 17 points and grabbing 10 rebounds. Konstantinos Tsartsaris made all five attempts from the floor on his way to 13 points.
Argentina will take on World No. 1 Team USA in the semifinals, and center Fabricio Oberto was optimistic about the forthcoming clash.
"They are the best team in the tournament," he said. "They have changed many things in the last years, but if we can play as we did until now, we have our chances."
"The time we played them in Athens, we entered as we are going to enter now, with all of our strengths. I broke my finger in that match. If they tell me that we are going to win the gold again, I would break my finger again."
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