AEK believed in it until the end, defeated Ludwigsburg and entered the Basketball Champions League on the right foot

The stress from the away game against Olympiakos was great, the closed Ano Liosion did not have many people due to the penalty from last season, but AEK entered the Basketball Champions League 2023/24 in an impressive way with a surprise and a win against Olympiakos Ludwigsburg (84-79).

Juan Plata’s team struggled to find space on the perimeter, shot four times as many 2-pointers as 3-pointers and struggled to rebound defensively. Nevertheless, even with 2/12 3-point shots, even with 22 rebounds from Risse, AEK secured the victory thanks to their fight and belief in the turnaround in the fourth quarter.

Ben McLemore found the score he missed in the SEF, Justin Tillman and Mindaugas Kuzminskas scored and Langston Hall was there to keep the gas going in the final until his team secured the score.

Ludwigsburg, on the other hand, played more dynamically and more balanced, paid more attention to the ball and had more opportunities in attack. Javon Graves filled his tally, Bui-Edgin followed suit, but in the end the Germans didn’t have the clarity they needed to make a crucial save or make a big throw, leaving Ano Liosia beaten.

THE REFEREES: Rosso, Vulits, Maniste

THE DECADES: 24-25, 44-43, 61-61, 84-79

AEK (Fouls): Flionis 2 (3 rebounds, 4 assists), Hall 12 (5/5 2-pointers, 2/3 shots, 3 rebounds, 8 assists), Kuzminskas 15 (6/10 2-points, 3/4 shots , 6 rebounds), McRae (0/4 shots), Randle 9 (1 three-pointer, 4 rebounds, 5 assists), Hatzidakis 3, Campengele 8 (1/5 two-pointers, 6 rebounds), Kouseloglou 2, McLemore 13 (3/4 Twos, 1/1 3s, 4/4 shots, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals), Netzipoglou 6 (4/4 shots), Tillman 14 (7/9 2s, 4 rebounds)

LUDWICHSBURG (King): Edgin 15 (5/7 2-pointers, 1/1 3-pointers, 2/5 shots, 6 rebounds, 2 assists), Graves 17 (7/15 2-pointers, 1/4 3-pointers, 11 rebounds, 7 assists), Hammond 10 (2/5 2-pointers, 2/8 3-pointers), Lewis 5 (1), Melson 4 (0/8 shots), Barre 4, Bui 13 (2/9 2 -pointers, 3/7 3-pointers, 5 assists), Patrick, Childs 9 (1), Pleta, Paulas 2

AEK’s team statistics: 28/47 2-point shots, 2/12 3-point shots, 22/28 shots, 36 rebounds (27 defensive – 9 offensive), 20 assists, 8 steals, 5 blocks, 16 turnovers, 17 fouls

Ludwigsburg team statistics: 22/51 2-pointers, 9/32 3-pointers, 8/11 shots, 45 rebounds (23 defensive – 22 offensive), 17 assists, 6 steals, 2 blocks, 14 turnovers

The next games of the two teams: On matchday 2, AEK will play in Sardinia against Sassari (October 25th, 9:30 p.m.), while Ludwigsburg will host Stettin (October 24th, 9:00 p.m.).