Reds win but make their coach feel ashamed

Kymi very nearly upset Olympiakos, while PAOK along with Promitheas scored hard-fought wins as the first round of the Basket League play-offs began on Wednesday with three very close encounters and a strolling by champion Panathinaikos.

Olympiakos beat Kymi 78-75 in Piraeus, as it gave up a 25-point lead (36-11) top see its unfancied visitor level the score (72-72) 47 second from the end. “I am ashamed about our picture after the 15th minute,” stated Olympiakos coach Yiannis Sfairopoulos.

PAOK had to come from behind (37-41 at half-time) to beat AEK 78-74 in Thessaloniki to take the lead in the best-of-three quarterfinal series that will likely be the most gripping of the round.

Promitheas Patras beat Lavrio 75-70 in its first ever play-off match, but the two teams look like to take the series down to the wire for a place in the semifinals, as the game showed on Wednesday.

As for Panathinaikos, it had no problems with Kolossos Rhodes, sprinting for the first 30 minutes (leading 80-39) and easing in the last quarter to win 96-65.

Games 2 of all series will take place on Saturday.