Aris advances despite defeat
Thessaloniki basketball club Aris advanced to the Euroleague’s second stage last night, despite losing at home against Barcelona, 82-75. Aris secured fifth place with a 6-8 record. Sixth placed Eldo Napoli, also on a 6-8 record but with an inferior head-to-head record against the Greek club, failed to overtake Aris as a result of a 64-62 loss at home against Benetton Treviso. The top five teams from each of the three groups advance automatically to the Top 16, along with the sixth-placed team with the best record. Greece’s two other Euroleague representatives play their final first-stage group games tonight. Panathinaikos, Group B’s breakaway leader with an 11-2 record, will be hosted by second-placed Maccabi Elite, four wins behind. Olympiakos, third in Group A with a 9-4 record, will host bottom-placed RheinEnergie.
