AEK: In the footsteps of Zisi, Karabelas

THE Zois Karabelas was one of the protagonists in victory of AEK Betsson over PAOK at Pylaia (85-94).

The young guard had 10 points and as many assists, from which another 20 points came for the “Union”. This was his first double-double in 129 games in the Stoiximan Basket League.

He reached double-digit performance for the second time in the season after the 13 he distributed in the away game against Lavrio and overall for the third time in his career in the Stoiximan Basket League after he had 10 assists in the 3rd semi-final of the 2019 playoffs (Peristeri-Panathinaikos ). But yesterday, for the first time, he combined this performance with a double-digit number of points.

So Karabelas scored 10 points and 10 assists the first double-double of his career and became only the second Greek AEK Betsson player to reach such a combination and the first in 19 years.

It was December 5, 2004 when AEK defeated Aris at home with 82-66. In that game, Nikos Zisis had 15 points and 10 assists. Karabelas therefore became only the second Greek player in the history of “Enos” in the professional Championship to reach a double-double in points and assists, since Vassilis Xanthopoulos, who is the third Greek to score double-digit number of assists, did not have double-digit number of points in any out of the three cases he succeeded. In fact, he was absent from both.

Karabelas became the 6th AEK Betsson player since 2014-15 when he returned to the Stoiximan Basket League to post a double-double in points and assists. They were preceded by Kino Colome (2), Chris Warren (1), DJ Cooper (1), Michael Green (1) and Tim Frazier (1).

The international guard scored AEK Betsson’s 6th double-double of the year – Campengele, Kouseloglou and Tilman have two – but the 1st that was scored with points and assists. “Enos” even reached Olympiakos at the top of the list of teams with the most players who scored a double-double, having four.

This was his 16th double-double of the year in points and assists. Karabelas became the 7th to make this list following Ragland (5), Fredrickson (3), Cowan (3), Briscoe (2), Klassen (1) and Toliopoulos (1).

AEK guard Betsson recorded the 6th fastest double-double of this year’s Stoiximan Basket League after staying on the floor for 22:30. The record is held by Trevor Thompson who had 16 points and 11 rebounds while remaining 15:27 on the floor in the game of Peristeri bwin in Karditsa for the 17th game.

With the second double-digit assist performance he had with the “Union” shirt, he reached DJ Cooper in the 2nd place on his relevant list and is now “chasing” Vassilis Xanthopoulos who is in the 1st place with three such performances. That particular list now lists 11 double-digit performances.

The international guard recorded the top economy performance among AEK Betsson players this year with a coefficient of 9 (10 assists + 0 steals + 0 blocks – 1 error). He thus surpassed the performance of 8 that Langston Hall had in the corresponding game of the first round.

Finally, as for Zois Karabela, through yesterday’s game, which was his 129th in the Stoiximan Basket League, he reached two milestones. He reached and surpassed 600 points and 400 assists.

At the same time, Mr Dimitris Agravanis with his eight points he entered the top 80 scorers of the Stoiximan Basket League. He reached 1,939 and surpassed Dimitris Haritopoulos who has 1,937.

On the other hand, the international forward, with his only mistake, reached 200 in his 258th appearance in the division.

THE Yannis Kouseloglou entered the top 30 of the Union’s defensive rebounding list in the Stoiximan Basket League. With the two he had yesterday, he reached 144 and surpassed Pericles Dorkofikis who had 142 in the three years 2008-11.

*Both teams did most of the work in attack, from mid and close range. In fact, AEK, with 31 accurate two-pointers, scored the second highest performance this year. The record of the season was however kept by Marousi who had 34 accurate two-pointers in his away game against Lavrio.

In fact, “Union” made 68.88% of the two-pointers (31/45), marking its best performance this year. Her previous record in the current season was 66.66% she had in the home game against Karditsa Japan (24/36).

His team Ilias Zouro scored 54 points through the racket and thus tied for the second highest performance in this year’s Stoiximan Basket League.

All 54 points through the racket for AEK constitute a season record. He had three times out of 52 with Apollon at home, Kolossos at home and Lavrio away.