Aris

Thessaloniki giants PAOK and Aris beat their Athens rivals, Panathinaikos and AEK respectively, to edge closer to their objectives, i.e. the unbeaten Super League triumph for PAOK, and the fifth place, that may lead to a European spot, for Aris.

PAOK has gone five points clear at the top of the Super League, as Olympiakos came from behind to end the unbeaten run of second-placed Atromitos in a spectacular match at Peristeri on Sunday. Champion AEK lost again.

Aris gave Olympiakos a real scare in Thessaloniki on Monday, but the Reds escaped with a four-point win to stay tied on top of the Basket League along with Panathinaikos and Peristeri.

AEK, PAOK, Olympiakos and Panathinaikos extended their perfect start to the Super League season to three wins in as many matches, with the Yellows and the Reds sitting pretty at the top of the table on Sunday evening. They may be joined by Aris on Monday night.

Greece's Super League football competition will kick off on schedule on August 25 after Deputy Sports Minister Giorgos Vassiliadis reached a deal with the seven teams that had been left without television coverage.

Thessaloniki rivals PAOK and Aris had opposite fortunes on Wednesday in the Basket League, as PAOK triumphed at AEK to become the favorite for the third spot while Aris edged closer to the drop going down at home to Kymi. Trikala is definitively relegated.

BASKETBALL: Aris has informed coach Panayiotis Giannakis their contract is terminated, following a last-gasp victory by PAOK in Wednesday's Thessaloniki derby at the Nick Galis Hall, that finished 66-65 in the visitors' favor. Vangelis Angelou is likely to return to the Aris bench after five years.

Kymi beat PAOK in a memorable encounter on Thursday to stake a claim for a top-eight finish and a play-off spot in the Basket League, while Aris took a leap to safety beating Lavrio at home on Wednesday.

The first half of the regular season concluded on Monday with arguably the best game in the Basket League so far, as Panathinaikos beat high-flying Lavrio in the second overtime to preserve its perfect record.

AEK upset Olympiakos at home on Sunday to allow Panathinaikos, victor of Aris in Thessaloniki, to open a two-point gap at the top of the Basket League. The Greens are already huge favorites for the top spot of the regular season.