By Lefteris Moutis/ moutis@eurohoops.net
During 2002-03 season Ikaros was playing in B’ ESKANA, which is the second amateur division of Piraeus. Ten years later, the team of the suburd named Kalithea is in it’s third season in A1 and proud to say that has won the 6 times Euroleague Champions Panathinaikos! This basketball “miracle” finds its explanation in the face of the owner of the team, Dimitris Agelopoulos (ed. note: not related to the owners of Olympiacos).
As a youngster he was a great talent playing for Milonas BC, but when he was accepted in the Polytechnic University of Patra, his team denied him his transfer to Apollon of Patra. Agelopoulos quit basketball, concentrated on his academics, but never lost his passion for the game. He continued to play in amateur leagues and as a civil engineer he built an underground basketball court, in his home! Yes, an actual basketball court, so he could play along with his friends!
In 1991 he was a member of a group that founded Ikaros and he always fullfield his financial obligations. Therefore in less than 20 years, his team “climbed” in 2010 in A1 and now, in its third season on the top league, managed to beat Panathinaikos. In order to do this, he hired one of the best Greek coaches and signed a player who has created a “tradition” of winning against Panathinaikos. Vasilis Simtsak has beat the Greens as a player of PAOK, AEK, Kavala and now Ikaros! In his last two teams, he was guided by coach Dimitris Priftis.
“This win is a reward for all the good things that Mr. Agelopoulos has done”, Simtsak told Eurohoops.net. “It is very rare a “neighborhood” team, to have this rise and also to be so reliable financially. Ikaros is a bright example and we dedicate this win to our owner and also to our coach. Coach Priftis works very hard, has principles and it’s a pleasure to have him οn our bench”.