By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
One week before the last games of the regular season in the Greek Basket League and Olympiacos with Panathinaikos kept winning, albeit not without difficulties.
While Olympiacos (24-1) was ahead of the score 27 – 48 at halftime against Apollon (9-16) on the road, the hosts scored 28 points in the third quarter to come back in the game for good. They continued to apply some heavy pressure to their opponents, even making the score 70 – 73 with 1 minute to go. But Vassilis Spanoulis’ experience and accuracy from the free throw line, prevented the upset and the Reds remain first in the standings.
Thanks to Elliot Williams’ scoring efficiency, Panathinaikos (24-1) downed AEK (17-8) in the Athenian derby. The Greens were superior in the first half (41-32), having a relative control of the match, but their guests answered back to make it a close game in the end of the third period and then gain the lead, 61 – 62! But once again Williams took matters to his own hands making some crucial plays which gave the victory to his team. Apart from the defeat itself, AEK watched Malik Hairston getting injured on his right knee during the fourth quarter. The early estimation is that the player will stay sidelined for at least a month.
By winning Rethymno on the road Aris (19-6) had already sealed the third place in the standings, while Kifissia (12-13) and PAOK’s (12-13) victories keep them fifth and sixth, respectively.
Basket League 2015/2016 – Day 25
Rethymno – Aris (Okaro White 15 p. 13 r.): 83 – 88
PAOK (Kostas Vasiliadis 20 p. 5 a.) – Koroivos: 92 – 78
Kolossos Rhodes – Kifissia (Μuhammad El-Amin 20 p. 8 a. 6 r.): 87 – 90
Lavrio – Trikala (Brandon Brown 28 p. 9 r.): 75 – 80
Arkadikos (Cameron Jones 19 p. 6 a.)- Kavala: 74 – 68
Apollon Patras – Olympiacos (Vassilis Spanoulis 15 p. 9 a.): 72 – 77
Panathinaikos (Elliot Williams 24 p.) – AEK: 78 – 71