Friday Frappé: Peristeri taking cue from Atromitos’ book

In this week’s Friday Frappé, AGONAsport’s Peter Katsiris notes how Peristeri are taking a cue from Atromitos…

Watch LIVE GREEK TV including full GREEK SPORTS coverage from AGONASport.com! 

Move over Atromitos, there’s another good team in Peristeri. After back-to-back seasons of impressive runs by Atromitos in the Super League (including this season), it seems that success is contagious as in the suburb of Peristeri as the local basketball club, simply known as Peristeri, have taken the Greek Basket League by storm.

Despite earning promotion back to the top flight for the first time since being relegated at the end of the 2012/2013 season, Peristeri have taken a surprise lead atop the Basket League standings thus far.

The Kyanokitrini improved to 7-0 on the season with last week’s win over Lavrio and with the exception of a Greek Cup quarterfinal loss to Kymis have performed beyond expectation thus far.

Under the guidance of head coach Argyris Pedoulakis, Peristeri have surged to the summit of the Basket League through the first seven rounds of action and currently sit clear at the top – although defending champions Panathinaikos do have a game in hand.

Peristeri’s impressive run hasn’t been against the minnows of the Basket League either. The club announced their return to the top flight with an opening round win over AEK before stunning Promitheas – one of Greece’s flag bearers in European competition – one week later in an encore.

While some of Peristeri’s wins have come against strugglers like Holargos and Kymis, the club have also travelled well – including a win over Aris in Thessaloniki.

Peristeri might not have faced Greece’s elite sides like Olympiacos and Panathinaikos as of yet, but the club have certainly impressed through the first quarter of the season.

Peristeri’s next test, after the current international break, will be the best measuring stick for the promoted side as Peristeri travel to the OAKA Olympic Indoor Hall to take on Panathinaikos in a battle for first place.

Regardless of how their next contest goes against the Greek Champions, Peristeri have already put the suburb they play in on the basketball map once again. In fact, the club’s 7-0 start is its best run since a 12-0 run during the 2000/2001 season – a streak that ended in Athens against Panathinaikos.

Perhaps that streak is foreshadowing what will happen between the two sides next matchday, but it’s clear that Peristeri have taken cue from the other local team in the area as Atromitos have followed a similar script in the Super League over the last few seasons.

The traditional brass of Greek football have, for the large part, struggled with trips to Peristeri to face Atromitos in recent seasons – including current Super League leaders PAOK, whose only blemish of the season is a 1-1 draw with Atromitos in Peristeri.

by Peter Katsiris

Image Source: sportfm.gr

Thank you for visiting AGONAsport.com, the only English based website for Greek sports fans across the world! Like us on Facebook, follow us on Instagram, and Twitter for all the latest news in Greek Sports!