The European University team had no trouble comfortably winning in Lakatamia last night, defeating the Nicosia Wizards 49-86, securing their 4th win (in 5 games) this season, and continuing their excellent run.
The “Warriors,” with the accumulated experience they carry from previous years and strengthened this season with several amateur basketball superstars (e.g., Spyrou, Papathanasiou, Gavotasios, Michaelides, Zografos, Agathangelou, etc.), appear more determined than ever to win a title after a three-year drought.
Andreas Kokkinos’ team, which has also been reinforced in its coaching staff with Apostolos Memtsoudis, has only one loss in the Championship, which came against ESOBGA in the premiere in a game lost on details and decided by free throws (79-73). In all other games, they prevailed with characteristic ease, winning by margins over 20 points.
Evidently, the Warriors will secure one of the three spots leading to the Gold Category, unless they self-destruct, which they have not shown any signs of doing so far. The derby against PN99 will be on the last matchday, where everything may have already been decided and, therefore, may not determine anything groundbreaking beyond the final ranking.
Regardless of what happened in the game against ESOBGA or what will happen against PN99, the big question is: can the Warriors win the title this year? Anyone who says no is clearly out of touch.
This team has great depth on its bench, a very high-quality roster, players who on their day can dismantle any defense (e.g., Michas, Ieronymides, Spyrou, etc.), a very good and reinforced coaching staff, and generally all the fundamentals on their side to go very far.
With the exception of the 1st Winter Championship, where they were crowned Champions, they had the same fundamentals in previous seasons, but ultimately ended up playing in the Small Final for 3 consecutive years, flirting with the title of “looser.” Could this be their year? Time will tell.
P.S.: I don’t know if it will turn out to be just a coincidence, but the fact that the Warriors have Louis Michaelides on their roster this year is a “guarantee” that they will at least reach the Grand Final, as Louis played in all 4 previous Grand Finals of the Winter Championship! Will the scenario be repeated? Not at all unlikely!
