For Peristeri, this game had the character of a final, but the team from the western suburbs appeared unrecognizable on Wednesday evening (30.11.) in Andreas Papandreou’s hall. It was defeated by Ritas 71-82, fell back to 2-2 after the 4th game of Basketball Champions League and is now trailing in the draw with the Lithuanians, having also lost the game in Vilnius.

Alexa Radanov was Peristeri’s top scorer while Sylvain Francisco and Marcus Denmon had a very bad night. With them down, Vassilis Spanoulis couldn’t expect much from the others. Ritas didn’t have anyone on a really big night, but she had a multitude, she had tenacity and perseverance, and she won with typical comfort on a very crowded court but also in a beautiful basketball atmosphere.

Peristeri have two games left to complete the BCL group stage, both away at Bnei Erzelija and on Tenerife. In the playoffs, the first in each group qualifies, while the second and third play in the play-in tournament and in best-of-three series (in the two wins). Peristeri’s group overlaps with Group G, which features Unicaja Malaga, Dijon, PAOK and Sassari.

The ranking of the group

1. Tenerife 3-1
2.Rita 2-2
3rd pigeon 2-2
4. Bnei Erzeliya 1-3

The race

Ritas went in with 4/5 shots to take a small lead (3-9 in the third minute), with Jarvis Williams causing many problems. The American had 11 points on 14-28 shooting during a period when the hosts had one assist on 4/14 shooting and the visitors had seven assists on 8/11-2 points and 6/6 shooting. Peristeri’s performance in the second quarter was much better on both defense and offense, but every time it fell behind (28-33) it was missing something to get forward. At half-time, Spanoulis saw his players throw eight shots in the trash but the points in surprise at 8-0 to leave the game open to any outcome.

The hosts tried to press early in the second half, but again Lithuania had the answers and composure to stay ahead. They went to +8 (47-55) in the 26th minute and didn’t give Peristeri the right to challenge them from then on. They shot up to 20 (55-75) in the 32nd minute and pulled off a very comfortable win over Vassilis Spanoulis’ team, who now need a much better face to continue in the tournament.

THE REFEREES: Zurapovic, Glicic, Jevtovic

THE DECADES: 14-28, 38-44, 53-70, 71-82

DOVE (Spanoulis): Francisco 19 (3/3 doubles, 2/10 trebles, 7/9 shots, 3 assists), Fitros, Juston 4 (3 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 steals), Kaselakis 7 (1 treble). -pointers, 7 rebounds, 2 assists), Zougris 2, Agravanis 7 (2/16 shots, 5 fouls), Bilan 6 (0/5 two-pointers, 6/10 three-pointers, 1 assist), Denmon 11 (5 /14 shots), Moraitis, Poulianitis, Radanov 15 (4/5 2-pointers, 2/5 3-pointers, 1/1 field goal, 4 rebounds, 3 steals)

Rita (Zibenas): Normantas 5 (1), Simonis, Uletskas 8 (1 threes, 7 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals), Varadi 10 (2), Williams 13 (6/8 twos), Ehontas 9 (2/2 twos -Pointers, 5/8 shots, 9 rebounds, 2 assists), Foster 12 (4/6 2-pointers, 1/5 3-pointers), Fridriksson 4, Kairis 4, Masioulis 3 (1), Radjevicius 6 (7 rebounds )

Peristeri’s team stats: 17/33 2-pointers, 7/31 3-pointers, 16/25 shots, 35 rebounds (19 defense – 16 offense), 14 assists, 13 steals, 12 turnovers, 27 fouls

Rita’s team stats: 20/33 2-pointers, 7/20 3-pointers, 21/30 shots, 51 rebounds (36 defensive – 15 offensive), 15 assists, 4 steals, 3 blocks, 19 turnovers, 25 fouls

The next games of the two teams: On Matchday 5, Peristeri plays in Tenerife (14/12, 9:30 p.m.), Ritas welcomes Erzelija (14/12, 7:30 p.m.).