Olympiakos has once again proved its dominance in Greek basketball, winning its 11th Greek Cup and second consecutive title. The team defeated Panathinaikos in the semis and Peristeri in the final at the Final Eight tournament held in Iraklio over the weekend. Greece has successfully organized a world-class final tournament for its cup competition, which is a significant achievement considering the past struggles due to fan behavior.

In other basketball news, Greece's two representatives in the Euroleague, Olympiakos, and Panathinaikos, had differing fortunes this week. Olympiakos maintained their position at the top of the table after defeating Barcelona at home, while Panathinaikos suffered another defeat, this time against Monaco.

 

Olympiakos faced a formidable opponent in Barcelona, one of its main rivals for the Euroleague title, but emerged victorious with a 77-70 score-line on Tuesday. The win was especially important for the team, as it came after two lackluster performances: a loss at Armani Milano and a narrow win against Kolossos in the Greek league.

Overall, it has been a successful week for Olympiakos, as they continue to dominate both domestically and in Europe. Their victory in the Greek Cup is a testament to their skill and dedication, and they will no doubt be looking to carry this momentum forward in the upcoming matches.
The Catalans started strong, taking an early 9-point lead in the first quarter, but the Reds fought back with fierce defense and a better offense. Shaquille McKissic led the Piraeus team with 16 points, while Giannoulis Larentzakis added 14, securing their 19th win in 27 games as Greek champions.
On the other hand, Panathinaikos put up a good fight against Monaco for the first three quarters, keeping the game close with a 3-point lead towards the end of the third quarter. However, they seemed to give up in the fourth quarter, allowing the hosts to dominate the game and score at will. Mateusz Ponitka led the Greens with 11 points, and Dwayne Bacon scored 10 in under five minutes. Unfortunately, their efforts were not enough, and Panathinaikos ended up losing with a final score of 84-70, bringing their record to 8-19.
Both games were a tale of two halves, with the winning teams stepping up their game and showing their dominance in the second half. While the losing teams fought hard, they ultimately could not keep up with their opponents.