Korivos Amaliadas snatches last play-off spot
Basket League debutant Korivos Amaliadas managed to make the cut and enter the play-offs upon the completion of the regular season, while Aris made the top four to leave AEK without home advantage when the two sides meet in the first round of the league quarterfinals.
The Peloponnesians in their maiden year at the top flight have not only avoided relegation but have also finished eighth as they came from behind to beat visiting Kolossos Rhodes 81-73 on Saturday.
They edged out KAO Dramas that dropped out of the top eight due to its home loss to AEK with a 77-66 score. However that victory was not enough for AEK to make the top four, as Aris braved the strong resistance of host AGO Rethymnou to win 69-66 on Crete.
One week before its venture into the Euroleague Final Four, Olympiakos completed the regular season on top with a remarkable 25 wins in 26 games by thrashing relegated Panelefsiniakos 104-55 at home.
Panathinaikos, in second, played its first home game with caretaking coach Sotiris Manolopoulos on its bench and saw off Apollon Patras 80-52 on Sunday. The Greens are set to strengthen their roster with Kenyon Martin and DJ Cooper.
PAOK was the highest scorer of the day defeating Trikala 105-73 in Thessaloniki, while Panionios bid goodbye to the first division losing 98-89 at home to Nea Kifissia.
The first round of the play-offs will pit Olympiakos with Korivos, Panathinaikos with Kolossos, PAOK with Rethymno and Aris with AEK. The winners will be decided in up to three games and the first games will take place on Wednesday, except for the Olympiakos vs Kolossos tie (scheduled for May 21), as the Reds have to prepare for the Final Four.
