Costas Papanikolaou

Panathinaikos looks like slipping out of contention for a play-off spot in the Euroleague after its loss at Zalgiris, while Olympiakos produced a widely anticipated home win over Khimki to stay in the running for a top-four finish.

Istanbul clubs got the better of their opponents from Greece in the Euroleague this week, as Olympiakos lost at home to Fenerbahce on Thursday and Panathinaikos went down at Anadolu Efes on Friday.

The Reds suffered their third defeat in a row losing 73-72 in Piraeus to Fener that had Greek international Costas Sloukas score 20 points to decide the game in the visitors' favor.

A buzzer-beating basket by Costas Papanikolaou gave Greece an 86-85 win in Georgia on Sunday as the Greeks mathematically clinched a spot at the 2019 World Championships in China.

A buzzer-beating basket by Costas Papanikolaou gave Greece an 86-85 win at Georgia on Sunday as the Greeks mathematically clinched a spot at the 2019 World Championships in China.

Vassilis Spanoulis became the Euroleague's number one player in assists, but Olympiakos lost in overtime at Malaga, while Panathinaikos comfortably beat Valencia at home on Friday.

Unicaja Malaga beat Olympiakos 87-85 in an ever-so-tight encounter in Spain that the Reds will feel they should have won.

Olympiakos and Panathinaikos extended their winning streak further this week to remain at the top four of the Euroleague table, as the Reds are joint top with CSKA Moscow and the Greens in fourth.

On Thursday Olympiakos defeated host Valencia 72-64 in Spain for its eighth win in 10 games.

Champion Panathinaikos is already looking good for finishing top of the table in the regular season of the Basket League, as on the championship's opener it defeated archrival Olympiakos by three (71-68) away from home on Sunday.

Panathinaikos, Olympiakos, AEK and Aris make up the line-up of the semifinals of the Greek Cup in basketball following the quarterfinals that took place on Wednesday.

Holder Panathinaikos appeared ready for the season's first main challenge, the league derby at Olympiakos on Sunday behind closed doors, thrashing host Kolossos on Rhodes with an 84-54 score.

Olympiakos was unable to perform a second miracle in 48 hours and succumbed in the Euroleague final to host Fenerbahce 80-64 on Sunday in Istanbul's Sinan Erdem Dome.

For two-and-a-half quarters the Reds were close to the Turkish team in the score, trailing 39-35 at half-time after another buzzer-beating triple, this time by Khem Birch, the Greek champion's best player on the night.

Kolossos Rhodes has staked a fresh claim for a top-four finish in the Basket League while all but sending Doxa Lefkadas to the second division, in another weekend of tight and spectacular games in the Greek championship. League leaders Olympiakos and Panathinaikos marched on without any problems.