The Arthouros team was the winner of last night’s Limassol Grand Final, defeating Apollon Heat 69-63. In doing so, they won the first Winter Championship in their history, sparking a wave of excitement among their fans. Our new Limassol Champions deserve warm congratulations for their well-deserved title victory. The same goes for the Apollon Heat runners-up, both for their presence in the Grand Final and for their tremendous effort to secure the win.
The incredible match at Polemidia Gymnasium last night was thrilling, living up to its title of Grand Final, as both contenders went above and beyond to claim the title. It’s telling that neither team managed to get a double-digit lead throughout the game, with Arthurou’s largest lead reaching +9 and Heat’s +6.
The two teams were neck-and-neck for most of the game, with a slight edge for Heat in the first half and for Arthurou after the break. Mykola Nesushchyi’s players started a little better, leading 18-16 at the end of the first quarter and 31-29 at halftime. Although they tried to pull away at times, their opponents always came right back.
The situation changed in the second half. Adamou Andreou’s players came out firing, taking an 8-point lead (34-42 at 24′), which they held onto until the end of the third quarter, which finished 43-51. This momentum continued at the start of the final period, with Arthurou reaching a +9 lead (45-54) and looking dominant. However, the Apollon Heat players didn’t give up. Combining their renewed effort with some complacency from their opponents, they went on a 16-5 run over 6 minutes to make a full comeback, leading 61-59 with two minutes left!
Faced with the prospect of the title slipping from their grasp, Arthurou’s players woke up, and thanks to a basket from Iliadis and free throws from Zenkov, they regained the lead. Both teams then exchanged successful and missed free throws, with the score hovering at a fragile 62-64. The game-winning moment for Arthurou came from a steal by Giannis Koutsoftidis with thirty seconds remaining, followed by a basket from him that extended the lead to +4.
Fouls and free throws followed for both teams, but there wasn’t enough time for another comeback. The game ended 63-69, giving the crown to the “Blues.” Giannis Koutsoftidis was the top scorer for the winners with 19 points, followed by Giorgos Iliadis and Demian Zenkov with 16 each. For the losing side, Ilia Mozhaev stood out with 23 points, supported by Maxim Nekhai with 16 and Viacheslav Titov with 11.
Arthurou will play their last game of the season in the Super Cup, against the Nicosia Champions, PN99, next Monday (8:30 PM – English School). Our heartfelt congratulations again to both finalists for their sportsmanship and dignified play, despite the high stakes of the game. We wish them a great vacation and hope they’ll be back with us next autumn, even stronger and more competitive!
