Reds’ hoopsters scrape through Doxa challenge
Olympiakos survived a huge as well as unexpected scare at Lefkada beating promoted club Doxa with literally the last shot of the game, while PAOK was the big winner of the Thessaloniki derby with Aris on Saturday.
Doxa, a club that joined the top flight just a few weeks ago on a wild card to replace bankrupt Nea Kifissia, started the league beating PAOK at home two weeks ago and very nearly created the biggest upset of the decade on Saturday, losing to an Erick Green triple right at the end with a 95-94 score.
The Reds were 16 up at the end of the third quarter (81-65), but Doxa fought back and led by up to five (94-89) a minute-and-a-half from the end, before two three-pointers by Green – the latter just a second before the buzzer – gave the visitors the win.
Panathinaikos agreed with former Barcelona coach Xavi Pascual on a three-year contract and the Catalan was at the stands at the Olympic Sports Hall on Sunday as the Greens thrashed Korivos Amaliadas 96-65. Pascual will be officially presented by Panathinaikos on Monday evening.
In a tense but absorbing derby at the Nick Galis Hall in Thessaloniki, PAOK defeated host Aris 66-62 on Saturday upsetting the odds and earning its first big victory of the season. Aris is on one win in three games.
In other Saturday results Apollon Patras downed Rethymno 86-78, AEK dismissed host Kymi 81-65, Lavrio saw off Trikala 86-56 and Kolossos Rhodes beat Promitheas Patras 76-59.
