| 19.09.2003
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Maria Samoroukova (Greece)
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| Greece stormed to victories in their last two friendly tournaments but they crashed against the Czech Republic on the opening day of the European Championships.
Michaela Pavlicková, Hana Machová and Lucie Blahuskova all scored 17 points as the Czechs stretched an eight-point lead at the end of the first quarter to 20 by half-time and then marched past the hosts in Pyrgos.
The Czechs, forced to enter this tournament without star 6ft 4in centre Kamila Vodickova because of injury, hardly missed her on this occasion.
Blahuskova, particularly, is the player coach Jan Bobrovsky is hoping will pick up the slack with the Seattle Storm star Vodickova unable to play this year.
The 23-year-old made eight of 12 shots from the field and sank her only free throw in 29 minutes on court.
Pavlicková, who blocked two shots, and Machová were tremendous as each grabbed seven rebounds.
When the Czechs weren't making shots inside or with mid-range jumpshots - they were 32 of 49 for 65.3% - forward Zuzana Klimesova and guard Romana Hamzova were hurting them from long range.
Hamzova made a trio of three-pointers while Klimesova added a pair, as the Czechs made an impressive 45.5% on the night.
The winners will be expecting to improve to two wins in as many games on Saturday since they play Israel, beaten badly in their opening day game against France.
Greece will not have it easy as they try and get back on track against Poland. | 
