By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
In a commanding position for most of the 40 minutes, Olympiacos survived late slip-ups to prevail, 86-78, at Ionikos Sunday evening.
Lasting 18 minutes, Giorgos Printezis logged a team-high 11 points in Greece’s Stoiximan Basket League Regular Season Round 25 contest. Shaquielle McKissic and Tyler Dorsey followed with ten points apiece. Giannoulis Larentzakis added nine more points, while Kostas Sloukas combined his six points with a game-high ten assists. Making things interesting down the stretch, Loukas Mavrokefalidis drove his way up to a game-high 21 points.
After improving the domestic tally to 21-1, the team coached by Giorgos Bartzokas will secure the top seed and thus the home-court advantage throughout the Playoffs by capturing at least one more win in the two fixtures left on the regular-season schedule, against Apollon Oscar at Patras and Kolossos H Hotels in the Peace and Friendship Stadium. Rival Panathinaikos OPAP carries a 21-2 record. Kolossos and AEK round up the top four spots at 15-8 and 13-10, respectively.
Besides the bottom end of the domestic league’s Regular Season, the Reds will be part of the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Final Four. They are set to face defending champion Anadolu Efes at Belgrade’s Stark Arena on 19 May. Archrivals FC Barcelona and Real Madrid shape the second Semifinal. Staying in Serbia’s capital, the championship and third-place contests follow on 21 May.
Round 25:
Kolossos H Hotels – PAOK mateco 69-60
Promitheas – Iraklis 78-69
Aris – Larisa 82-70
AEK – Peristeri Vitabiotics 78-72
Panathinaikos OPAP – Apollon Oscar 78-68
Ionikos – Olympiacos 78-86