Aris defeated AEK Betsson BC in Alexandria!

He subdued her AEK Betsson BC in Alexandria the superior Mars!

In a game that did not claim… laurels of quality, which is also reflected in the final score and the statistics of the match, but it had great intensity and passion, the Thessalonians won the derby against “Enos”, winning fairly with 75-64 at Nick Galis Hall for her 4th matchday Stoiximan Basketball League!



Yannis Kastritis’ team had the upper hand in the score throughout the match, and having as their protagonists Vasilis Toliopoulos (19 points, 8 assists) and the newly acquired center, Chris Brankston (12pt., 6rpg., 1block), reached this year’s third pink card of the season, making it his best start of the last eight years in the league!

On the other hand, Joan Plath’s ensemble “compensated” for the absences of its main highs – Campegele and Kuzminskas -, while at the same time… she was also betrayed by her tragic rates from the line of shots (17/34b., 50%). The first scorer for the “yellow and black” was McRae with 17 points, 5 rebounds and 3 assists.

The match:

THE Mars started with Bohorides, Carr, Galinat, Sanogo and De Souza in his starting five, with AEK Betsson BC on its part to choose Flionis, Randle, McLemore, Kouzeloglou and Hatzidakis in the starting line-up. Enough nervous and misplaced it was the start of the game by both teams, with Aris leading 4-1 and McLemore equalizing with a three-pointer from 45 degrees (4-4) in the 2nd minute. Consecutive missed shots and mistakes kept the teams tied for about 3 minutes.

His entrance Vasilis Toliopoulos on the court he gave Aris an aggressive “breath”, with the Greek guard scoring 7 points for the +10 (19-9) at 8′, while a little later with his own three-pointer the home team made it 22-13, before Netzipoglou set up 22-15 in the first period.

In the second quarter, rhythm and the image of the race fell even further. It was indicative that the individual score was 9-9, with Aris in this period 3/15 in the field and AEK 4/14! Mistakes and missed shots…were raining, with “Union” even unable to find a score even from the line of fire (4/12 in the first half)!

During this time, Mr Mars easily maintained the difference over 6 points with Slaftsakis and Sanogo dominating the defense and providing solutions in the attack, with both teams going to the dressing room with the home team in front in the score with 31-24.

The image was clearly better in third period, with both teams showing more energy and willingness to run the field and pressure the opposition on defense. The team of Yannis Kastritis entered the second half more dynamically and with six collected points of Galinatraised the gap for the first time at +11 for 37-26 at 21′. Then, the AEK found for the first time tonight a rhythm in the attack, as a result of which he scored consecutive baskets, “gnawing” the difference in 5 (39-34) at 24′.

However, the many missed shots and errors returned for his total Joan Platha, with the Thessalonians taking advantage of it and with a lasting counterattack, they raised the difference to single digits again. With newly acquired centre, Chris Bankston, entering the match equation by doing ‘damage’ to AEK’s racket, the hosts went at +11 (52-41), with Flionis at the end of the quarter reducing with a three-pointer for the 52-44 of the quarter.

While everything showed that the match would lead to… a thriller, o Mars he was in no mood to mess up in the end. With his defense as an “ally” and also the excellent Branxton in the second half, the hosts jumped the gap at +14 (71-57) at 38′ and while the “Union” constantly losing shots could not reduce below 7 points. In the final, the match was led to the “roulette” of the shots, with the Thessalonians making no mistakes, thus reaching the final 75-64.

The quarters: 22-15, 31-24, 52-44, 75-64.

Watch the match live here.



See the match statistics.