Giorgos Printezis

Euroleague basketball clubs Olympiakos Piraeus and Maccabi Tel Aviv will play a friendly in honor of the Greek team's retired legend Giorgos Printezis, Maccabi said in a statement on Friday, following Olympiakos' announcement.

Olympiakos scored two road wins within 48 hours to return of the top eight of the Euroleague table, while Panathinaikos went down again at home.

The Reds first triumphed at Barcelona, winning 96-88 on Tuesday against the joint leader of the Euroleague, stunning their hosts from the outset with a 12-0 run.

Greece's representatives in the Euroleague put two over Russia's on Greek soil, as depleted Olympiakos stunned CSKA once again and Panathinaikos saw off Zenit.

Olympiakos should be officially considered the European champion's jinx team, as CSKA Moscow lost another game to its perennial nemesis, with a 72-59 score on Thursday at the Peace and Friendship Stadium.

The Greek-Spanish battles of this week in the Euroleague ended with a 1-1 score, as only Olympiakos got to score a Greek win, playing at home, while Panathinaikos suffered another road loss.

Olympiakos beat Baskonia 80-70 on Thursday in Piraeus to rise above it at the standings, on a 9-13 record.

Greece's national basketball team began its World Cup campaign with an easy 85-60 victory over Montenegro in Nanjing, China.

Greece opened a 42-16 lead at halftime and cruised from there.

Veteran forward Giorgos Printezis led Greece with 16 points.

Greece's superstar, reigning NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo, had 10 points in 16 minutes.

NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo and the rest of the Greek national team were in action on Saturday as part of the 2019 Suzhou International Basketball Challenge in China. Greece thrashed Jordan 92-65 in a game that took place ahead of the FIBA World Cup that kicks off in China next Saturday. Antetokounmpo scored 13 points, behind Giorgos Printezis with 17 points.

Thursday was a bad day for Greek teams in the Euroleague, as Olympiakos went down easily at leader Fenerbahce and Panathinaikos suffered another defeat on the road, this time at Maccabi.

Although this was a loss that was always likely, the 90-75 reverse in Istanbul will leave no one happy at the Olympiakos camp.

Olympiakos and Panathinaikos suffered painful losses in the Euroleague this week, to see the target of a top-four finish grow ever more distant.

Olympiakos pushed CSKA all the way in Moscow before going down to the Euroleague favorite on Thursday, but Panathinaikos edged out Buducnost for a much-needed away win on Friday.

Holding CSKA to below 70 points in Russia came close to the miracle that Olympiakos needed to beat the Moscow giant away, but the details worked in the hosts' favor who eventually beat the Greeks 69-65.

Greece has all but qualified to next year's World Championship in China thanks to its 70-63 home win over Serbia at Iraklio on Thursday.