The fifth round of the Greek Basket League delivers the first major shake-up of the season. Vassilis Spanoulis’ Aris Thessaloniki defeat Zeljko Obradovic’s Panathinaikos 101-91, drawing level with the Greens in the standings with a record of four wins and one loss. The result ends Panathinaikos’ unbeaten run in the domestic league and confirms the ambitions of the Yellow and Blacks, who have shown they can challenge one of the leading title contenders. For Panathinaikos, it is their second consecutive defeat, following Friday’s 83-68 EuroLeague loss at Anadolu Efes on October 30.
In Thessaloniki, Aris lead for most of the game, entering the final quarter with a 79-68 advantage. Panathinaikos, however, find the strength to fight back and even take the lead thanks to a crucial three-pointer from Guerschon Yabusele. It is the most difficult moment for Spanoulis’ team, but they keep their composure and respond with character, regaining control of the game and securing a 101-91 victory in front of their home crowd.
The standout performer is former Virtus Bologna guard Matt Morgan, who scores 21 points, supported by 19 from Adam Mokoka and 14 from Neno Dimitrijevic. At the other end, Guerschon Yabusele’s 22 points, Sylvain Francisco’s 20, Nigel Hayes-Davis’ 17 and Mathias Lessort’s 16 are not enough. Panathinaikos pay the price for their struggles with ball security, committing 20 turnovers against just 16 assists.
Spanoulis beats Obradovic: “He is a legend, I owe him so much”
Beyond the result, the evening in Thessaloniki carries special significance because of the meeting between the two coaches. Spanoulis played under Obradovic at Panathinaikos before his famous move to rivals Olympiacos. “Obradovic is a legend, the greatest coach ever to work in European basketball,” Spanoulis said at the post-game press conference.
Obradovic: “Our main problem is turnovers”
Zeljko Obradovic is in a very different mood, acknowledging Aris’ merits while making no attempt to hide his team’s difficulties. The Serbian coach congratulates his opponents on their energy and the quality of their performance, while also thanking his players for fighting to complete the comeback until the very end.
“Our main problem is turnovers,” Obradovic stresses, also pointing to missed free throws. The coach notes that, for the second consecutive game, Panathinaikos have finished with more turnovers than assists. It is a statistic that highlights the Greens’ difficulties in maintaining consistency and control of the game.
Olympiacos cruise past Peristeri 91-62
In the day’s other major game, Olympiacos maintain their perfect record in the domestic league with a commanding 91-62 victory over Peristeri. Georgios Bartzokas’ team claim their fifth win in as many games, remaining unbeaten alongside PAOK. On Saturday, Andrea Trinchieri’s team earned a 63-53 road victory over Iraklis, with 17 points from Marcus Foster, 12 from Cedi Osman and 7 points and 11 rebounds from Kyle Alexander.
The game is effectively decided by halftime, when Olympiacos lead 48-30. In the third quarter, the Reds extend their advantage even further, reaching 76-42 and turning the final ten minutes into a formality. They do so despite numerous absences and a demanding EuroLeague schedule, which included their October 30 victory over Olimpia Milano.
The leading scorer is once again Sasha Vezenkov, with 21 points and 7 rebounds, but important contributions also come from Omer Netzipoglou, who scores 16 points, and Cory Joseph, who adds 12. Bartzokas makes use of his roster’s depth, spreading the minutes and receiving contributions from players who see less action in European competitions.
The game also marks a personal milestone for Nikola Milutinov, who reaches 188 appearances in the Greek league and moves into the top five foreign players with the most games played in the competition’s history, overtaking Claudio Coldebella, who finished with 187.
Bartzokas also provides an update on Evan Fournier, identifying the November 6 EuroLeague game against Crvena Zvezda as a possible date for his return.
The standings after five rounds
The fifth round therefore leaves Olympiacos and PAOK unbeaten at 5-0, while Aris and Panathinaikos share a 4-1 record. The result is a league as interesting as expected, with an unprecedented battle between Athens (and Piraeus) and Thessaloniki.
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