Basketball in Greece

Olympiakos emerged victorious from its challenge at Aris in Thessaloniki on Monday and remained tied at the top of the Basket League table with AEK, victor of Rethymo at home on Saturday.

Captain Vassilis Spanoulis distributed 11 assists and Olympiakos returned with a 70-63 triumph from one of its most difficult games on the road this season in the league.

Olympiakos and Panathinaikos improved their Euroleague record to 3-1 after the Reds triumphed at Baskonia in Spain and the Greens saw off visiting Red Star Belgrade in Athens.

Olympiakos defeated Baskonia 95-90 on Thursday for its first away win in the new Euroleague after a tight as well a spectacular game.

The first part of the so-called "double-header" in the new Euroleague, with all teams playing twice within two days, produced a double Greek victory as Olympiakos defeated Armani Milano in Piraeus and Panathinaikos snatched victory from Bamberg in Germany.

Panathinaikos, playing without a head coach, very nearly upset Euroleague favorite CSKA Moscow to go down by four in the end on Friday, while Olympiakos thrashed Turkey's Efes Anadolu by 24 on Thursday for its first win in the new Euroleague.

A day after the Council of State upheld appeals lodged by six TV channels against a government auction of broadcasting permits, State Minister Nikos Pappas said Greece's left-led administration would not yield to pressure coming from "vested interests."

Olympiakos confirmed it is a class above archrival Panathinaikos at this stage of the season, thrashing the Greens 88-63 on Monday in the first clash of the eternal rivals for the Basket League this season.

Panathinaikos opened their Euroleague campaign with a victory on home turf, Friday night, at OAKA basketball stadium by defeating Lithuanian team Zalgiris Kaunas 84-76.

Panathinaikos beat Zalgiris 84-76 at home in its opening game for the new Euroleague on Friday, but showed that it has a long way to go before it can reach the standards its coach and fans desire.

The Lithuanians challenged the Greeks all the way at the Olympic Sports Hall as their offensive rebounds and constant pressing frustrated Panathinaikos in long periods of the game.

The new Basket League started in the weekend with new boys Doxa Lefkadas upsetting PAOK, as son beat father in the Markopoulos family's coaching battle.

Olympiakos has won the Greek basketball league after another away triumph at Panathinaikos on Monday, this time in second overtime, in what was the first time it has clinched the title at the Greens' home court. The game marked the end of the illustrious career of one of Greek basketball's best ever player, Panathinaikos captain Dimitris Diamantidis.