Greece 147
Olympiacos pulls off 65-61 upset at PAO, forced to flee rain of fire
What in the name of Naismith is going on in Greek basketball? Will Olympiacos and Panathinaikos ever again meet without players having to fear mortal injury? In the first game between the Greek superpowers since last season’s capper known as “The Night of Shame,” Olympiacos ground out a 65-61 win in territory literally made hostile […]
Flashing back with Olympiacos and Panathinaikos
It’s kinda like time travel, of a sort. From the Plus Ça Change Department via the ever-fantastic and -enthusiastic Basketball Dreamer comes this link to a New York Times story entitled “European Basketball: Passionate Greek Drama” … from 1997.
The plot thickens in Greece…
The situation in Greece gets even crazier tonight after yesterday’s high weirdness featuring a bunch of Greek games with a bunch of non-Greek players. Before today’s AEK-Ikaros game, striking players wishing to demonstrate were confronted by riot police, whereupon, as Talk Basket reports, “The players were just peacefully sitting at [center court] when a battalion […]
Foreign players, strikebreakers take floor in Greece in “parody” of basketball
Those who think an NBA lockout in 2010-11 could be crazy should check out the situation in Greek pro basketball right now. After seeing the first week of action cancelled due to a player strike called by Greece’s player union PSAK, EΣAKE got underway last night as some of the bigger *teams* broke picket lines […]
Sixty-eight Fearless Predictions™ for 2010-11 Euroleague season
With the EL tipoff game tonight, BallinEurope is feeling devotion … not to mention a rush of Fearless Predictions™ coming on. How crazy can BiE get? You be the judge; here are 68 prognostications on all things Euroleague which you may [laugh uproariously about] ponder. Enjoy the season, everyone! (And sign up for the BallinEurope […]
Crisis in Greece: EΣAKE players on strike
Greek basketball players union Lazaros Papadopoulos said just a short time ago, “Basketball has died in Greece and no one has taken notice.” It’s no exaggeration on his part, but surely soon some will notice. According to Talk Basket, the Greek players’ union unanimously decided to strike effective immediately – just before the league’s opening […]
Eurocup 2010-11 teams announced: Greece, Italy, Turkey, Spain place three each
The list of teams that will make up the 2010-11 Eurocup regular seasons is all but complete – 93.75% complete, to be exact, with 30 of the 32 teams now set. The finish of the Eurocup Qualifying Round promoted eight more clubs into the regular season, leaving two more spots open, which will be determined […]
Maroussi out of Euroleague, maybe Greece for 2010-11; Olympiacos appeals penalty
Yet more bad news coming out of Greek basketball … last night, Euroleague officials announced that Maroussi BC will not be allowed to play in the big league’s qualifying round games to start on Tuesday. “Euroleague Basketball has been forced to take this decision,” read the official statement from officials in part, “after not having […]
Brutal week for Greek basketball capped with 80-72 loss to Spain
Hell of a week for Hellas basketball on both international and national league fronts… Team Greece was bounced from the 2010 FIBA World Championship by Spain last night in an improved showing from the Russia game, which had Ioannis Bourousis and Vassilis Spanoulis calling out for a little respect from the fans in the aftermath. […]
Paul Pierce: Italy or Greece for a year before retiring
From the In Case You Haven’t Heard It Yet Department, a bit of news that won’t take effect until the second Obama Administration, yet still has BallinEurope just giddy. From Comcast Sports Net Philly, here’s the quote from Paul Pierce on his future in the NBA: “As far as retiring from the NBA, I think […]
Mediterranean Basketball Association: To Be or Not To Be?
The rumor first popped up a couple of days ago on Talk Basket and an intriguing bit of gossip it is, too. According to that website, the Hellenic Basketball Federation (EOK) and former FIBA Europe president George Vassilakopoulos are advancing the idea of a Mediterranean basketball league which would include teams from Bulgaria, Cyprus, Greece, […]
Greek media: Fernandez “very likely to return to Europe”; Childress, Pekovic fled violence
For readers of Greek out there, Sport.gr is running an interesting piece on the subject of available big-name free agents, comparing the ACB to the EΣAKE and Team Spain to Team Greece while taking a hard look at the possibility of top names playing with Panathinaikos or Olympiacos for 2010-11. Beginning with the premise that […]