By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
The Cinderella story of the 2023-24 Basketball Champions League season. Passing the torch to Peristeri bwin combined with Vassilis Spanoulis showing his stuff as a head coach. A glimpse into the future behind a loyal servant of basketball looking to expand his success from a legendary playing career to the sidelines as a equivalent play-caller.
Focusing on the Final Four, the setup for Peristeri stretches to three teams from Spain’s Liga Endesa, the most competitive domestic league in Europe, including Semifinals opponent Lenovo Tenerife. Defying odds was a proud trend of player Spanoulis. The label of the underdog can also work in Belgrade.
Striking out giants
The second Greek club in the Semifinals of FIBA Europe’s top-tier club continental competition previously reached the Round of 16 in 2019-20, was eliminated in the Regular Season in 2020-21, and fell short in a Play-In series in 2022-23. The fourth BCL campaign was marked by huge progress.
After ranking third in Group A of the Regular Season and sweeping Rytas in a best-of-three Play-In series, Peristeri was down to 0-3 in Group K of the Round of 16 and all but knocked out of contention. A home win against Pinar Karsiyaka followed by stunning Hapoel Bank Yahav Jerusalem led to a home win versus Tenerife on March 19. With some help elsewhere in Gameday 6, a berth in the Quarterfinals was clinched.
In a similar rally against defending champion Telekom Baskets Bonn after dropping Game 1 of the best-of-three series in Germany, the team guided by Spanoulis notched two wins in a row to advance to the Final Four. A couple of solid showings to boost confidence heading to Belgrade.
Hustling constantly, Peristeri looks like a team taking a page out of the playing career of the head coach. Expecting anything less than finding a way to overcome adversity once more would be a mistake. It will take determination and focus for each of the ACB teams to force Peristeri to submit in Serbia.
Familiar foes
The Canary Islands outfit, UCAM Murcia, and Unicaja naturally know each other’s strengths and weaknesses better, competing in the same domestic competitions. However, Peristeri faced the team based in Malaga in the Regular Season and Tenerife in the Round of 16, splitting wins between home and away fixtures. Belgrade presenting a neutral venue alters the buildup and the matchup, but the players coached by Spanoulis have proved to be able to beat Spanish clubs. Two more wins would crown them as BCL champions.
Know-how
Besides Spanoulis winning numerous trophies before focusing on a head-coaching career, his players carry plenty of experience in the Champions League, including Vassilis Xanthopoulos lifting the trophy with AEK in 2018. Team leader Joe Ragland ranked fourth in the 2022 Final Four with Hapoel U-NET Holon. Back in 2019, Trevor Thompson was in the Final Four with Telenet Giants Antwerp. A different challenge for all three players with floor general Ragland projected to be the main offensive threat, scoring and creating.
Photo Credit: Basketball Champions League