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China’s Olympic basketball dream ends after Greece win Tokyo 2020 play-off game
- Winner-take-all game in Canada ends 105-80 to Greeks, who move on to semi-finals and hope of final Tokyo 2020 spot
- Chinese run of nine straight appearances at Summer Games ends
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The Chinese men’s basketball team’s run of nine straight Olympic Games, dating back to Los Angeles in 1984, will not become 10 in Tokyo this month after they lost to Greece on Friday morning (Hong Kong time).
With hosts Canada having beaten both teams in their three-team Fiba Olympic qualifier group and progressing to the semi-finals, it was winner take all for the other semi spot.
Played on Canada Day, the game at Save-On Foods Arena in Victoria, British Columbia, saw fans return and supporters of both teams were there.
Even in the absence of Greece’s NBA heavyweights Giannis and Thanasis Antetokounmpo, China’s slim hopes of progressing were swiftly extinguished.
Greece established their dominance early, racing to a 28-14 lead at the end of the first quarter.
It was 56-32 at the half and even with China outscoring Greece by 27-24 in the third quarter, it was never going to be enough.
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