Win for Maroussi but Panellinios falls short
Greek basketball clubs had a mixed evening in Europe yesterday. In the Euro Cup, the continent’s second-tier club competition, Maroussi scored its first win in the competition, defeating visiting Chorale Roanne of France 88-73 at the Olympic Sports Hall in Athens. The Greeks dominated throughout the game and fended off the strong challenge of the side that played in the Euroleague last season. They were led by an excellent Loukas Mavrokefalidis, who scored 23 points, while Constantinos Charalambidis added another 17. Panellinios suffered its second loss in as many games, going down to Turk Telekom in Ankara, 70-64. The Kypseli side had an great second period to take a halftime lead of five points (37-32), but the hosts outplayed the Greeks in the second half to clinch their second win. Turk Telekom scored eight straight free throws to overturn a 62-64 deficit in the end. Ivan Radenovic scored 18 points for Panellinios. Later last night, Aris hosted Israeli side Bnei Hasharon and was leading 64-53 after the third period. Tonight two Greek teams play at home for the Euroleague: Olympiakos hosts Italy’s Avellino at 7 p.m., while Panionios entertains Real Madrid at 7.30 p.m. Then tomorrow, Panathinaikos plays Zalgiris Kaunas in Lithuania at 7.45 p.m. Panionios will be strengthened by former Greece forward Dimos Dikoudis, who last weekend signed a contract with the Nea Smyrni club until the end of the season. He was a free agent after being released from Pamesa Valencia in Spain last month. There is also a league game scheduled for tonight as the two newly promoted teams, Kavala and Trikala, clash in the Macedonian city; the game was postponed from the third round of the A1.
