Basketball in Greece

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.

Panathinaikos snatched home advantage from Olympiakos from the very start of the Basket League finals series with an 83-81 victory in Piraeus on Thursday, after one of the most spectacular games in the league's finals ever.

Panathinaikos crashed out of the Euroleague on Tuesday as Laboral Kutxa swept the Greek Cup holders with a 3-0 score in the best-of-five play-offs after an 84-75 victory in Athens.

Despite playing in front of a capacity crowd of home fans at the Olympic Sports Hall, Panathinaikos had the same problems in defense that condemned it to defeat in Game 1 of the series in Spain.