By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
After a home defeat to Hapoel Jerusalem in the first week of action, AEK demonstrated its might as the defending Basketball Champions League champs by beating Brose Bamberg 93-86 in the big game of Group C.
Behind 24 points by Xavier Rathan-Mayes and the duo of Malcolm Griffin and Giannoulis Larentzakis adding 14 points each, the Greek team had a solid halftime lead (44-34) and kept it until the end.
Brose Bamberg cut the lead to four (49-45) during the third quarter, but AEK reacted with an 8-0 run (57-45). Augustine Rubit scored 20 points, Arnoldas Kulboka added 16 and the hosts managed to stop Tyrese Rice who finished the game with 6 points, 7 assists and 8 turnovers.
The game was expected to be the long-awaited return of Nikos Zisis in a game of AEK, even as an opponent, but due to injury the Greek guard of Bamberg stayed in Germany. According to coach Ainars Bagatskis, he may even miss three weeks of action. Still, he had a message for AEK and its fans. The Greeks have a 2-1 record after this result, while Bamberg dropped to 1-2.
Photo credit: BCL