Zisis leads AEK to its fifth Greek Cup in basketball

AEK defeated Promitheas Patras on Sunday to win the Greek Cup in Iraklio, its second in the last three years, in what was the first Cup final since 1999 without Panathinaikos or Olympiakos.

The Yellows of Athens fought hard to beat last season’s league finalist with a 61-57 score in a very tight game that could have swung either way.

Led by recent returnee Nikos Zisis (11 points, five assists) at the twilight of his long and illustrious career, AEK made the most of a nervous Promitheas attack and won the game through its defense after an early 12-6 lead by the Patra side.

The eight-point advantage (51-43) AEK obtained five minutes from the end was erased by Promitheas (51-51), but that was the end of its comeback. The more experienced AEK players made the difference at the end, for a four-point victory.

Kendrick Ray was the final’s top scorer making 16 points for AEK, while Promitheas had Loukas Mavrokefalidis score 11 points and collect as many rebounds.

Promitheas, that earlier in the tournament had eliminated Panathinaikos, was rather unhappy with that final’s officiating, with its coach, Makis Giatras launching a scathing attack against one of the referees.

This was the fifth Greek Cup in AEK’s history.