Montenegro secured a stunning 67-65 victory over Greece in Athens on Friday, marking the second time the underdog nation has defeated the host team. The win, fueled by late-game heroics from Derek Needham, ties both teams at 2-1 in Group B of the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2027 European Qualifiers.
The game remained tightly contested throughout, culminating in a dramatic finish. With the score tied at 65-all, Needham orchestrated two crucial possessions for Montenegro. He initiated a pick-and-roll with Zoran Nikolic, drawing the defense before delivering a precise assist for a game-tying dunk. On the subsequent possession, Needham identified an opening and directed a pass to Emir Hadzibegovic, who capitalized with another dunk to give Montenegro a 67-65 lead.
Greece had one final opportunity to respond, but a drive by Vasileios Toliopoulos ended with a missed layup as time expired, sealing Montenegro’s victory. The result mirrors a previous upset by Montenegro over Greece in the Second Round of the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup in Manila, according to FIBA reports.
A rematch is scheduled for Monday in Podgorica, Montenegro, where the teams will continue their battle for positioning in Group B. The September 3, 2023, contest, which Montenegro won 73-69, foreshadowed the competitive nature of this qualifying series.
