Ares returned to Europe but was eliminated in the fourth period by EuroCup champions Gran Canaria

October 4, 2023 would be a day of celebration for Aris as it marked the team’s return to European competition after a five-year absence. However, the news of Giannis Ioannidis’ death sparked sadness for the yellow players of Thessaloniki, but also for Greek basketball in general. As if that wasn’t enough, Yiannis Kastritis’ team suffered an 82:66 defeat against EuroCup champions Gran Canaria.

Thanks to a series of 17 unanswered points that lasted from the final phase of the third period until the 35th minute, Jaka Lakovic’s team secured victory. The protagonist of the winners was the former Panathinaikos player AJ Slaughter, who scored 21 points (4/5 three-pointers) and 3 assists in 19:17 minutes, keeping him on the floor. Nicolas Brussino followed with 16 points.

On the Mars side, Roberto Gallinat stood out with 22 points (13 of which came in the first period). The only other double-digit scorer for the Greek team was Ronnie Harrell, who scored 10 points, with 3 rebounds and 2 assists.

The presence of the crowd in the Alexandria stands was admirable, not stopping for a second to sing, support and applaud Aris.

The race

Since Roberto Gallinat, who moved from Karditsa to Aris this summer, started the game brilliantly and scored 8 points in 3 minutes, the hosts were +8 (12-4). This difference remained until the finale of the first period (28-20, 10th minute), with Gallinat scoring 13 points and Gran Canaria keeping pace with the score thanks to its accuracy from distance (5/13 threes).

With a partial 2:9 until the 14th minute, the Spanish team came within striking distance (30:29). The guests passed by for the first time before the score was (32-34) 2’55” before the break, after a three-point pass Jovan Klajic. Finally, Jaka Lakovic’s team went into the locker room with +3 (35-38, 20th).

In the 23rd minute, Gran Canaria had a lead of 8 points (38-46), but Aris didn’t let it get away and equalized in the 29th minute (52-52), after a three-point lead. Pointer from Vassilis Toliopoulos and two shots from Galinat. The Greek guard made another big shot to make it 55:54, but Andrew Albisi answered him at the end of the third period and increased the score to 55:57 (30th).

Gran Canaria increased the lead thanks to the Frenchman’s three-pointer and scored another 14 points in a row by the 35th minute, extending the lead to +16 (55-71). At that point, Aris had neither the time nor the psychological reserve to get anything out of this game, knowing defeat when he returned to Europe.

THE REFEREES: Zamoski, Laurinavicius, Haliko

THE DECADES: 28-20, 35-38, 55-57, 66-82

MARS (Castritis): Slaftsakis 4, Sanogo 6 (4 rebounds), Toliopoulos 8 (2/6 threes, 3 assists, 3 steals), Carr 2 (4 errors), Katsivelis 2, Bloombergs 2, Fillios, Bohorides 6 (1 /3 3-pointers, 4 assists, 2 steals), De Souza 4 (5 rebounds), Harrell 10 (2), Gallinat 22 (5/6 2-pointers, 3/7 3-pointers, 3/4 shots, 3 rebounds)

GRAN CANARY (Lakovic): Klajic 3 (1), Slaughter 21 (4/5 3-pointers, 3 assists), Bassas (3 assists), Albicci 8 (1/4 3-pointers, 5 assists, 5 steals, 3 turnovers), Prkacin (3 rebounds), Brusino 14 (4/8 3-pointers), Salvo 9 (1), Pelos 12 (2/2 3-pointers, 4 rebounds, 3 steals), Surna 3 (1), Landesberg 4, Lopez 2, Lammers 4 (9 rebounds, 2 assists)

Mars Team Statistics: 15/27 2-pointers, 8/26 3-pointers, 12/14 shots, 24 rebounds (9 offensive – 15 defensive), 13 assists, 7 steals, 15 fouls, 1 block

Gran Canaria team statistics: 10/23 2-pointers, 14/29 3-pointers, 20/24 shots, 36 rebounds (13 offensive – 23 defensive), 19 assists, 12 steals, 18 fouls, 1 block