SPORTS

Halperin secures Reds? home advantage in the playoffs

Olympiakos has secured home advantage for the league playoffs in basketball after defeating Panathinaikos for the second time this season, with an 87-83 score on April 16.

The match was always Olympiakos?s to win with Panathinaikos playing second fiddle for most of the 40 minutes, although the Greens did manage to get on level terms at the end of regulation time with a 76-76 score: They aimed at clinching a four-point lead in the overtime that would have canceled out their loss to the Reds by the same margin three months earlier.

It was not meant to be, as an impressive Yotam Halperin with 25 points scored led the host to a victory that maintained its perfect record with one round of games left to play.

In the day?s other matches, AEK edged closer to its first relegation ever by losing 78-69 at Maroussi, while Ilisiakos defeated Peristeri 75-52 at home. If Ilisiakos beats Kolossos on April 20 on Rhodes it will send AEK to the A2 division.

PAOK secured the third spot of the regular season by downing Kolossos 66-56 at home, while rival Aris lost 89-80 at Panionios in overtime. Ikaros Kallitheas saw off relegated Iraklis 73-68 as Kavala triumphed 84-81 at Panellinios to move back into the top-six of the table.

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