Top basketball game to be staged behind closed doors
Greek basketball teams return to domestic action after a triumphant week for most of those involved in European cup play. There are two appetizing games on the schedule of the ninth round of the A1 league: Today at 9 p.m., Panionios hosts one of the four table toppers, Panellinios, at Hellenikon, the ground the Kypseli side also will use in European competition this season. The other main game has two other league leaders, Panathinaikos and Aris, meeting tomorrow at 4 p.m. at the Olympic Sports Hall in Athens, behind closed doors, as PAO has been penalized for its fans’ behavior in the recent derby with Olympiakos. The fourth joint leader, Olympiakos, travels to Larissa to face local AEL at 5 p.m. Tonight’s other games at the same time are: AEK vs Olympia Larissas and Kavala vs PAOK. At 7 p.m., Maroussi plays host to Trikala. Then, tomorrow at 5 p.m., Kolossos clashes with Aegaleo on Rhodes. Panathinaikos, Olympiakos, Aris and Panellinios are tied on 15 points from eight matches, with PAOK a distant fifth on 12. Euroleague challenger Panionios is one of five teams with 11 points but the Nea Smyrni club has a game in hand.
