Panathinaikos cruise as Aris begin to dream of Basket League playoffs
GREEK BASKET LEAGUE - ROUND 24
| Date | Home Team | Score | Away Team |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5-May-18 | Kolossos | 68 - 81 | Kymi |
| 5-May-18 | Aris | 60 - 48 | Panionios |
| 5-May-18 | Lavrio | 77 - 55 | Larissas Faros |
| 5-May-18 | Rethymno | 103 - 67 | Trikala |
| 5-May-18 | Koroivos | 49 - 86 | Panathinaikos |
AGONAsport’s Peter Katsiris checks in with a review of the weekend action from Matchday 24 in the Greek Basket League…
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Panathinaikos rebounded from their EuroLeague elimination with an emphatic win over Koroivos while Aris clinched safety in the top flight with a much-needed win over relegation candidates Panionios.
With Matchday 24 having already tipped-off last weekend with the early tip-off between Promitheas and AEK at the OAKA Olympic Indoor Hall, the remaining slate of games final took center-stage in a busy Saturday in the top flight of Greek basketball.
With all matches tipping-off at the same time, perhaps the most vital showdown in the league was the relegation-themed matchup between Aris and Panionios at Alexandreio. With both sides still in grave risk of joining Trikala in the relegation zone at season’s end, Aris managed to avoid that fate with a 60-48 defeat of the visiting Panthers. Dimitris Flionis tallied 12 points to lead Aris scorers, though the Thessaloniki side’s biggest performer was their defense as the home side twice limited Panionios to just nine points in a quarter en route to the win. Marcus Cummings’ 14 points was the lone bright spot for Panionios as the Nea Smyrni out remained entangled in the relegation zone with just two rounds of action remaining in the regular season.
Gymnastikos, another side involved in the Basket League’s relegation battle, did themselves no favours with a 77-55 defeat away to Lavrio. Tony Meier led the Metallorichoi with 18 points, while teammate McKenzie Moore notched an impressive line with 9 points, 8 rebounds, and 6 assists. Gymnastikos only managed 20 points in both the second and third quarter combined as the Larissa outfit stumbled to their third straight defeat despite an 18-point performance from Roeland Schaaftenaar.
In Crete, Rethymno took advantage of an already-relegated Trikala with a massive 103-67 win. Anthony Lee was immense as he recorded a 23-point, 17-rebound double-double in the win, which was powered by 32-12 run by the Cretan Kings in the second quarter. Earvin Morris notched 18 points for Trikala on one of many nights to forget for the club’s loyal supporters.
Kymis, who were at one point locked into a relegation spot, picked up an 81-68 win in Rhodes against Kolossos to further strengthen their grip on playoff spot. Thad McFadden led all Kymis scorers with 19 points while Brandon Young responded with 13 points for Kolossos, who are now just two points above the relegation zone following their eighth straight loss.
With the OAKA Olympic Indoor Hall overtaken by the FIBA Basketball Champions League Final Four, Panathinaikos were on the road in Amaliada where the Trifylli cruised to a dominant 86-49 win. With Xavi Pascual sharing playing time evenly throughout the entire Panathinaikos roster, every Panathinaikos player found the scoresheet with Kostas Mitoglou leading the way in scoring with 12 points. Jahii Carson led Koroivos with 15 points, but the home side were awful at both ends of the court which was emphasized by a 20-6 run by Panathinaikos in the fourth quarter.
