Aris consolidates top-four spot beating local rival PAOK away

Aris has earned more than just the Thessaloniki bragging rights by beating PAOK away in the city’s derby on Sunday, since it has also take a huge step toward securing a top-four spot in the Basket League’s regular season.

Aris won 77-69 in a game that was close from start to finish and was marred at the end by PAOK fans throwing various objects onto the court and the officials, forcing a 20-minute stoppage to the match in the dying seconds.

PAOK is now on 24 points, three behind fourth-placed Aris, and level with Kifissia, that lost 74-70 at Lavrio on Saturday.

Leaders Olympiakos and Panathinaikos scored easy wins, as the Reds trounced bottom team Arkadikos 103-60 at Tripoli on Sunday, notching up 15 three-pointers in the process, and Panathinaikos saw off visiting Rethymno 84-62 on Monday.

Kavala took a much-needed victory at Korivos Amaliadas (78-72) on Saturday to move off the bottom of the table and get to within one point from safety, i.e. where Rethymno lies.

In other Saturday games AEK stayed on third with its 70-65 win at Trikala and Kolossos edged out Apollon Patras 60-54 on Rhodes.