Basketball in Greece

Olympiacos’s basketball team will again head to a European Final Four this season after a buzzer-beating three-pointer on Thursday evening at home against Barcelona by Giorgos Printezis, 71-68.

By George Georgakopoulos

Olympiakos produced its best away performance so far this season to defeat host Barcelona 76-63 on Friday and snatch the home advantage in the Euroleague play-offs.

The Reds have now tied the series at 1-1 and are taking it to Piraeus for two games next week, expecting to win the best-of-five series in front of their own fans.

By George Georgakopoulos

A disappointing Panathinaikos fell prey to an impressive CSKA Moscow than won Game 1 of their play-off series with a 93-66 score in Russia on Tuesday.

By George Georgakopoulos

Olympiakos completed its campaign in the top-16 of the Euroleague with a 77-70 home win over Russia?s Nizhny and is preparing for the all-important play-offs that begin next week. Its opponent will probably be Barcelona.

Government officials clashed with opposition MPs in Parliament on Wednesday on a bill aimed at decongesting prisons that includes a provision permitting house arrest for seriously disabled prisoners.

A parliamentary committee began debating amid disagreements on Monday a government bill that foresees the scrapping of maximum security jails.

By George Georgakopoulos

Olympiakos lost its hopes for a top-two finish in its Euroleague group, that would secure it home advantage in the play-offs, after going down 76-70 at CSKA Moscow on Friday. The Reds will now finish third and will likely face Barcelona in the quarterfinals.

By George Georgakopoulos

Panathinaikos was upset at home by Alba Berlin with a 68-66 score on Thursday and will need victory at eliminated Red Star Belgrade next week to make sure it qualifies to the play-offs of the Euroleague. Otherwise it will hope that Maccabi beats Alba in Berlin.

By George Georgakopoulos

AEK appears to have returned for good among the elite of Greek basketball, as after a few years of languishing in the lower divisions it is once again showing signs of grandeur that bode very well for its future, if its 89-48 Basket League triumph at Cup finalist Apollon Patras on Saturday is anything to go by.

By George Georgakopoulos

PAOK consolidated its position in the top three of the Basket League with a triumph at AGO Rethymnou on Saturday, while Olympiakos and Panathinaikos emerged victorious from their tough away games on Monday.