By Eurohoops Team/ info@eurohoops.net
After a delay for one week and ultimately with a 12-team format, Greece’s Basket League tipped off Saturday with Basketball Champions League finalist, AEK, overcoming a tough Ionikos Hellenic Coin challenge. Other winners include Peristeri winmasters and newcomers Messolinghi thanks to the big shot of the Lakers’ Danny Green’s younger brother.
Ionikos Hellenic Coin – AEK 68-81
A dominant fourth quarter sent the Queen to the opening round “W”. Nikos Zisis earned top-scorer status registering 15 points.
Loaned from AEK, Vassilis Toliopoulos banked a game-high 19 points for the hosts.
Peristeri winmasters – Kolossos H Hotels 84-81
Loukas Mavrokefalidis poured 27 points, grabbed seven rebounds, and also earned eight fouls. His solid debut propelled Peristeri to the win column.
Dominic Artis’ 25 points for the team based in Rhodes went to waste.
Messolonghi Baxi – Aris 73-70
A great introduction to Greece’s top-tier division with Promitheas loanee Giannis Agravanis netting a team-high 15 points. Devonte Green, Danny’s brother, connected for the game-winning three to finish with 10 points.
Captain Dimitris Flionis put up a game-high 18 points for the visiting side.
Iraklis – PAOK 75-57
The meeting of two teams based in Thessaloniki produced a clear victor. Captain Vassilis Kavvadas, Mike Moore and Scott Suggs scored 13 points each.
Jermaine Love had a game-high 16 points but ended up on the wrong side of the result.
Panathinaikos – Larisa 69-60
Georgios Papagiannis scored 22 in PAO’s win on 9-12 from the field while Leonidas Kaselakis added ten points. Zach Auguste added eight.
For Laris, Jerry Smith and Shaquille Goodwin logged 16 points each. Goodwin also grabbed ten boards.