By Stavros Barbaroussis/ info@eurohoops.net
Coach Luca Banchi will meet with AEK Athens President Makis Angelopoulos on Tuesday, June 18, when it will be decided if the sides continue together.
AEK won the FIBA Intercontinental Cup this season but was eliminated in the Basketball Champions League quarterfinals – which they won the previous season – by Brose Bamberg and also failed to reach the Greek League Finals after getting eliminated by Promitheas Patras in the semifinals.
The year can be considered unsuccessful and with that in mind, it is expected that Banchi parts ways with the club. The Italian coach has had a one-year contract with AEK and there is no renewal proposal on the table.
There is a slight possibility of a different outcome depending on how the meeting goes but it’s highly doubtful in this case and AEK will commence the search for a new head coach. PAOK’s Ilias Papatheodorou has been mentioned as a possibility for the role but there hasn’t been any contact yet. Ilias Kantzouris, who was Banchi’s assistant this season, is also an option.