The time to judge the first major domestic title of the year has arrived, as it begins Final-8 of the Cupand indeed with an Athenian derby.
Panathinaikos AKTOR and AEK Betsson are faced at “Two Aorakis” of Heraklion (18:00, COSMOTE SPORT 5, sport-fm.gr, News Bulletin 247) for the quarter-finals of the tournament, wanting to secure a place in the top four, where they will face the winner of the pair PAOK-Aris.
Just a few days ago, the two teams played again, for their 18th game Stoiximan Basket League. The “greens” left with a comfortable “double” from Liosia (69-89), showing that they are the big favorites also in view of the Cup, against a Union that has not yet managed to find a positive competitive face. A knockout match, however, on a neutral ground, is always a different story.
His team Ergin Ataman, initially, goes to Crete with the sole aim of the title. THE Panathinaikos AKTOR lost the last two seasons the domestic “scepter” to Olympicbut this year he looks renewed and has already made many steps forward, which he now wishes to transform into a title that will mark his definitive return.
Against them, the “greens” find one AEK Betsson which has probably taken steps back. His team Ilias Zouro are on a 4-game losing streak in all competitions, in danger of dropping out of the league’s top six, while needing… a miracle to qualify for the BCL quarter-finals, having lost 3 as many matches in the round of 16. All this shows that the Union is the outsider at the crossroads, but they also give it a high motivation, since the Cup it’s likely the only title left to contend for.
As far as the matches of the two teams are concerned, for the “greens” the only question mark is the Kostas Sloukas. The Greek guard traveled normally with the mission, but was absent from the team’s two previous matches with Fener and AEK Betsson, due to the problem that has been plaguing him for a long time in the adductor. However, he trained normally on Wednesday and will get time to play. Of course, Ergin Ataman will need to cut one of the 7 foreigners in the team for the match, most likely Balcherovski.
From the “yellow and black” side, he will definitely not compete Justin Tillman, who suffered a stress fracture in the left metatarsal, as did Dimitris Flionis (lower back problem), while Langston Hall is out of the group of foreigners. However, the Mindaugas Kuzminskaswill reappear in the Final-8 as he overcame a fractured metacarpal and practiced normally on Wednesday.
The refereeing trio of the match will consist of Poursanidis, Agafiotis and Katrachoura.
Detailed match schedule and pairings up to the final:
Quarterfinals
15/2, 18:00 Panathinaikos AKTOR – AEK Betsson (1)
15/2, 21:00 PAOK – Aris (2)
16/2, 18:00 Olympiacos – Peristeri bwin (3)
16/2, 21:00 Prometheus Patras – Panionios (4)
Semifinals (17/2)
18:00 Winner 1-Winner 2 (5)
21:00 Winner 3-Winner 4 (6)
Final (18/2)
19:00 Winner 5-Winner 6
Source: Sport Fm
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