It's hard to mention Greece and the FIBA World Championship in the same breath and not think about Nikos Zisis.

He made two big headlines at the event three-and-a-half years ago in Japan.

One was terrific, the other horrible.

First the good.

Zizis underlined his importance to the Greek squad with a  clutch shot at the end of their third game, a clash with Australia in Hamamatsu.

Greece trailed 69-66 after CJ Bruton made just one of two free throws with 19 seconds remaining for the Boomers.

The Greeks rushed the ball up the floor and Dimitris Diamantidis passed to a wide-open Antonis Fotsis, who struck from long range to tie the game.

Australia inbounded to David Barlow but as the 22-year-old crossed midcourt, Theo Papaloukas chased him down from behind and knocked the ball away.

It fell into the hands of Diamantidis.

The Panathinaikos star took two dribbles to midcourt, spotted Zisis on the left and passed him the ball.

With three seconds on the clock, Zisis released his shot from just beyond the arc and the ball fell through the hoop.

Then there was the bad.

In the very next game against Brazil with Greece leading by 14 in the third quarter, Zisis dribbled into the lane from the right when Brazil's Anderson Varejao slid into defensive position late and raised his left elbow, catching the Greek in the head.

Zisis suffered fractures to his face and played no further part in the tournament.

That ugly moment is the past, with Zisis having restarted his career and played for clubs like Benetton Treviso, CSKA Moscow and now Montepaschi Siena while also representing his country the last three years.

At EuroBasket 2009, Zisis played and helped Greece capture a bronze medal.

Zisis, who is now 26, was in Istanbul for a Euroleague game against Efes Pilsen on Wednesday night and after, he spoke to Erinç Toklucu about this year's FIBA World Championship, where the Greeks will take on Turkey, Russia, China, Ivory Coast and Puerto Rico.

"You know, Greece always has lofty goals," Zisis said.

"Over the last years, the team has had very good successes. I think we have the power to do everything for the 2010 FIBA World Championship.

"We will try to do something special again. We know, we have a tough group, but the group is not important because this is the World Championship and all the groups are tough.

"Especially we know that, the match against Turkey in Ankara will be very hard.

"Also I think Turkey and Russia are the tougher teams of our group. You cannot underestimate Puerto Rico, also. They are always tough. Some of our players that are very important for the team and did not play in Poland will come back and it is also good for us. I expect everyone to be healthy and in good form in Turkey and our aim is to finish the championship among the top four teams."

Turkey also played against Greece in Hamamatsu at the last World Championship and lost, 76-69.

At the EuroBasket last year in Poland, the Bogdan Tanjevic's Turkey had a golden opportunity to avenge that setback but lost 76-74.

"For sure this game (in Ankara) will be very important for us," Zisis said.

"We know Turkey very well and of course, you know us very well, too. It's going to be a very tough game, but I think, in my opinion it's very early. I mean, it is not a knockout game. So we can win, Turkey can win.

"As you know at the last European Championship, Turkey started the tournament very well and won many games, but we were not as good as Turkey. Maybe we were a little bit lucky and we won the quarter-final.

"For sure Turkey could have won. So I mean, these games are always tough games. For these kind of big games, you cannot make any guesses. The game continues until the last sound and the last moment."