All eyes on Thessaloniki as Aris, PAOK face relegation crunch
With both Aris and PAOK embroiled in a relegation battle, all eyes are on Thessaloniki to see if either club can avoid facing the plunge to the second tier.
Watch LIVE GREEK TV including full GREEK SPORTS coverage with Go Greek TV!
It’s been a trying season for basketball fans in Thessaloniki. Both of the city’s clubs are in deep financial trouble off the court and the impact has been felt on the court as both Aris and PAOK sit remain gridlocked in the Basket League’s relegation zone.
Sporting identical 5-12 records through the opening 17 rounds of action, Aris and PAOK look destined to face the drop to the second tier at season’s end unless either side can find their form in the final weeks of the regular season.
Sitting just one-game behind a trio of clubs for safety in the Basket League standings, Aris and PAOK have a tough run-in to avoid the drop though it must be noted that PAOK hold the upper hand on their city rivals having claimed the tiebreaker based on the scalps between the two sides this season.
With nine rounds of action remaining in the regular season, time is running out for both clubs. Aris appear to have the tougher workload down the stretch with clashes against seven of the top eight sides in the standings, including a meeting with Promitheas on the final day of the season.
PAOK’s stretch run features a derby with AEK in March, but the Dikefalos tou Vorra also have important clashes with fellow relegation-battlers Kolossos and Panionios between now and the end of the season.
Basket League Standings (through MD 17)
1. Panathinaikos 15-2
2. AEK 13-4
3. Promitheas 11-6
4. Peristeri 11-6
5. Ifaistos Limnou 10-7
6. Lavrio 8-9
7. Rethymno 8-9
8. Ionikos Nikaia 8-9
---------------------------
9. Iraklis 7-10
10. Panionios 6-11
11. Kolossos 6-11
12. Larissa 6-11
----------------------
13. PAOK 5-12
14. Aris 5-12
ARIS’ REMAINING FIXTURES
15/2 Aris - Panathinaikos
29/2 Kolossos - Aris
7/3 Aris - Ifaistos Limnou
14/3 Peristeri - Aris
21/3 Aris - Rethymno
28/3 Panionios - Aris
4/4 Aris - AEK
11/4 Lavrio - Aris
15/4 Aris - Promitheas
PAOK’S REMAINING FIXTURES
2/2 PAOK - Kolossos
29/2 Ifaistos Limnou - PAOK
7/3 PAOK - Peristeri
14/3 Rethymno - PAOK
21/3 PAOK - Panionios
28/3 AEK - PAOK
4/4 PAOK - Lavrio
11/4 Promitheas - PAOK
15/4 PAOK - Iraklis
