By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
With Olympiacos facing Promitheas and Panathinaikos playing against Greek league cinderella Larissa in the upcoming semifinals, coach Giorgos Bartzokas remembered an old and shameful story from 2013 during the official press conference for the upcoming game.
Bartzokas – who also praised Giorgos Printezis as the best captain he ever had – was asked if he would want to change anything from his previous years in Olympiacos.
He gave the following answer: “If there is one thing I regret, in my previous tenure at Olympiakos, it was the Greek Cup final with Panathinaikos at Elliniko gym when a flare hit Kyle Hines during the warm-up. I have made my shares of rights and wrongs in my career, but at the time I should have asked the owners of the team to leave the gym. For the first time, I saw fear in the eyes of my players, while Hines was dizzy. Somehow I should have slapped my hand on the table, but I did not.”
Despite this happening, the game started on time and was interrupted in the 13th minute when Mike Bramos. who at the time played for Panathinaikos, was hit by objects thrown by fans.
During the press conference, it was also confirmed by Greek sports deputy minister Lefteris Avgenakis that not only Panathinaikos has secured OAKA as their home court for the next 49 years, but also that similar talks are ongoing with Olympiacos for the “Peace and Friendship” Stadium, putting on hold the scenarios of Olympiacos building a new arena.