Team Calathes, Team Maciulis ready for All-Star showdown in Herkalion
Team Calathes will go head-to-head with Team Maciulis as the 24th annual EKO All-Star Game takes centerstage in Heraklion this weekend.
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Greek basketball fans will be treated to a midseason celebration in Heraklion this weekend as the Dyo Aorakia Indoor Hall hosts the 24th edition of the HEBA Greek All-Star Game on Sunday.
Ahead of the stretch run in the Basket League, the entire league will put a pause on the regular season as rivals become teammates for a chance to win the All-Star honours.
In a twist to the format for this year’s All-Star Game, Panathinaikos guard Nick Calathes and AEK’s Jonas Maciulis were selected as captains after finishing as the leading vote-getters among Greek and international players respectively.
The new format also called for a televised All-Star Draft that saw Calathes and Maciulis appear on Greek TV to make their roster selections.
Among the picks made by Calathes were Panathinaikos teammates Ioannis Papapetrou and Deshaun Thomas as well as former Ethniki teammate Sofoklis Schortsanitis. Meanwhile, Team Maciulis has a strong hint of green after Maciulis drafted the Panathinaikos trio of Tyrese Rise, Jimmer Fredette, and Dinos Mitoglou.
Nikos Zisis, who recently made a return to Greek basketball after securing a release from Murcia in order to sign with AEK, was drafted by Calathes but will not participate in this weekend’s event. Instead, Promitheas’ Dimitris Katsivelis will replace the former Greek international on Team Calathes.
Rick Pitino was voted in as one of the head coaches for the All-Star Game but the Panathinaikos and Greece bench-boss will not attend the event and will instead be replaced by Sotiris Manolopoulos. Makis Giatras was named as the other head coach for the All-Star Game.
The 24th HEBA Greek All-Star Game is scheduled for Sunday afternoon (9 February) as the showcase event to a weekend that will offer basketball fans plenty of excitement.
Both teams will wear special commemorative jerseys for the event, with team Calathes expected to wear a primarily blue-and-white jersey while Team Maciulis is expected to wear a primarily gold-and-white jersey.
ROSTERS FOR 2020 EKO GREEK ALL-STAR GAME
TEAM CALATHES
Starters: Nick Calathes, Ioannis Papapetrou, Sofoklis Schortsianitis, Nikos Zisis (replaced by Dimitris Katsivelis), Deshaun Thomas
Bench: Conner Frankamp, Brandon Rush, Panagiotis Vassilopoulos, Samardo Samuels, Vangelis Mantzaris, Nikos Pappas, Chase Fieler
TEAM MACIULIS
Starter: Jonas Maciulis, Tyrese Rice, Jimmer Fredette, Dinos Mitoglou, Danny Agbelese
Bench: Loukas Mavrokefalidis, Lefteris Bochoridis, Charis Giannopoulos, Georgios Papagiannis, Adam Smith, Olivier Hanlan, Marcus Slaughter
RISING STARS TO TAKE ON ALL-TIME STARS
While all eyes will be on today’s crop of All-Stars on Sunday evening, on Saturday night (8 February) stars of the past and stars of the future will command the attention of basketball fans.
Among the notable invitees for Saturday’s showdown are legendary women’s basketball stars Evina Maltsi and Stella Kaltsidou, both of whom are expected to feature for the All-Time Stars.
