Shooting guards

BELGRADE - Partizan Belgrade have bowed out of the FIBA Basketball Champions League after losing 82-78 to PAOK Thessaloniki at home late Wednesday in the opening round of the competition's knockout stage.

Olympiakos went down at Fenerbahce on Thursday in a game it should have won in Istanbul given its double-digit lead, while Panathinaikos chalked up a hard-fought win over the Russians of Unics on Friday at home thanks to a buzzer-beating shot by Mike James.

Panathinaikos won its sixth consecutive Greek Cup and a record 18th overall defeating Aris 68-59 at Thessaloniki's Nick Galis Hall on Saturday, in a game that was delayed by over an hour.

Having beaten its archrival, Olympiakos, in the semifinal last month - away from home too - Panathinaikos would have a relatively easy task to complete in the final to win the trophy.

GENEVA - Partizan Belgrade were on Friday drawn to play PAOK Thessaloniki in the FIBA Basketball Champions League play-offs.

The first game of the tie will take place in Thessaloniki on February 7 or 8, with the return leg to be played two weeks later in Belgrade.

Tanjug file photo, T. Valic

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Galatasaray Odeabank ended its historical five-game winless stint in the Turkish Airlines Euroleague against Maccabi Tel Aviv in emphatic fashion on Jan. 24 by pulling away to a 102-63 victory at home in Abdi İpekçi Arena. 

New boys Promitheas gave a real scare to Panathinaikos on Saturday before the Greens emerged victorious from a tricky clash in Patra for the Basket League, to stay one point behind unbeaten leader Olympiakos one week before hosting the Reds.

TEL AVIV - Red Star Belgrade beat Maccabi Tel Aviv 71-67 on the road in Euroleague Basketball Round 18 on Thursday to extend their winning streak in the competition.

Red Star won thanks to an excellent 9-0 run in the last four minutes of the fourth quarter, with Ognjen Kuzmic (8 points, 9 rebounds) once again emerging as the key figure.

Tanjug file photo, T. Valic

Olympiakos edged even closer to a top-four finish in the regular season of the Euroleague after thrashing Baskonia at home on Friday, while Panathinaikos will likely have to settle for a spot between the fifth and the eighth after suffering a bad reverse at Fenerbahce on Thursday.

The Milwaukee Bucks posted a video on the club’s twitter feed honouring the “Greek-Freak” Giannis Antetokounmpo for his selection in the NBA All-Star game in the front court.

The “Greek Freak”, Giannis Antetokounmpo is currently running second in the NBA All Star Game voting poll in the Eastern conference, after the second count of votes that concerns the fans (50% of the aggregate votes).