Euroleague

BELGRADE - The decision to award the hosting of the Euroleague Basketball Final Four 2018 to Belgrade is great news for the city, which has thus joined Europe's biggest metropolises, Euroleague Basketball CEO Jordi Bertomeu said Wednesday.

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.

BELGRADE - Belgrade and the Kombank Arena will host the Euroleague Basketball Final Four in 2018, City of Belgrade Secretary for Sport and Youth Slavko Gak confirmed to Tanjug Friday.

Gak said Mayor Sinisa Mali and Euroleague Basketball CEO Jordi Bertomeu would sign a contract in Belgrade next Wednesday.

This season's Final Four tournament will be held in Istanbul.

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.

BELGRADE - Belgrade and the Kombank Arena will host the Euroleague Basketball Final Four in 2018, City of Belgrade Secretary for Sport and Youth Slavko Gak confirmed to Tanjug Friday.

Gak said Mayor Sinisa Mali and Euroleague Basketball CEO Jordi Bertomeu would sign a contract in Belgrade next Wednesday.

This season's Final Four tournament will be held in Istanbul.

BELGRADE - Red Star Belgrade lost to Darussafaka Istanbul 73-70 (17-24, 20-17, 20-13, 16-8, 27-18) at home in this season's Euroleague Basketball opener late Thursday.

Red Star held the lead against Turkey's big spenders Darussafaka for 39 minutes - at one point, the Belgraders had a 16-point advantage, only to be defeated in a thriller finish at the Aleksandar Nikolic Hall.

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.

Greek basketball giant Panathinaikos fired Serbian coach Aleksandar Djordjevic after an 84-75 home defeat by Spaniards Laboral Kutxa Vitoria sent it crashing out of the Euroleague on Tuesday.

Istanbul club Fenerbahçe has completed a three-game sweep of the defending champions Real Madrid to be in the first team to book a place in the Turkish Airlines Euroleague Final Four in Berlin.

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.