Aris suffered a bitter defeat in Trikala (87-85 after overtime, halftime score 29-33, regular time score 73-73) for Match Day 18 of the Hellenic Championships 2009-2010 and lost the opportunity to climb up some positions in the table. The “yellows” paid high price for their defensive black-out between minute 30 and 35, when the local team ran a 17-5 partial score, and for their too many missed three-pointers (9/35 in total), but were also damaged by a couple of crucial mistakes made by the referees in the beginning of overtime.
The first quarter wasn’t good for Aris and after the initial 0-2 was down in the score, Trikala reaching 6 points up (17-11) 1:10 before the end. However, a 0-7 run gave the visitors the lead in the start of the second period, which was marked by the incident between Aaron Miles and Mark Dickel, 5: 11 before halftime. Miles was provoked by his opponent, who hit him, in order to take the ball from his hands. Aris’s player reacted and the referees decided to disqualify both of them. When the game restarted, David Blatt’s players managed to get a little better and just before the end of the second quarter they took a 4-point lead for the first time (29-33).
The third period was full of streaks, for both sides. The Thessaly team started with a 7-0 run, the “yellows” responded likewise and toward the end of the quarter they had a 0-10 run, led by Betts. A three-point shot by Richardson gave them a 9-point lead (44-53).
Nevertheless, the local team stroke back in the beginning of the fourth period and was great in attack. David Young was unstoppable and Trikala led by 4 (64-60) in minute 36 and by 7 (69-62) with just 2:37 to go. Aris made it even (70-70) 37’’ before the end and although Trikala led by 73-70 with just 9’’8 remaining, Walsh scored a big three-pointer (73-73) with 1’’9 to go. Thematchwenttoovertime.
Very soon, though, the “yellows” were down by 7 (80-73), after two errors made by the referees. Despite all that, David Blatt’s players managed to bring it into a tie once more (83-83). However, Kakiouzis missed a three-pointer, Sakellariou scored one for the locals (86-83, with 21’’5 remaining), Clark missed again from the perimeter and it was all over.
Referees: Christos Christodoulou, Charalambos Karakatsounis, Nikos Somos.
Periods: 17-16, 29-33 (halftime), 44-53, 73-73.
Overtime: 87-85.
TRIKALA (Thanasis Yaples): Bakic 2, Biggs, Gizogiannis, Simtsak, Katsares 2, Tsairelis 10, Apostolidis 11 (1), Young 31 (1), Marmarinos, Zupan 19 (3), Sakellariou 9 (3), Dickel 3 (1).
ARIS (David Blatt): Clark 14 (2), Argyropoulos 2, Miles 4, Betts 14, Walsh 17 (3), Richardson 15 (3), Chatzivrettas 3, Dikoudis 3, Paunic, Kakiouzis 13 (1), Barlos.
