Makedones-Dimco recorded their first victory of the Second Phase of the Nicosia Championship last night, as after a very solid performance they defeated the Old Timers away from home 32–46, and now hold the head-to-head advantage over them in the tie for 5th place in the Bronze Division.
In the First Phase meeting between the two teams, the Old Timers had emerged victorious 30–41, but last night it was the Makedones’ turn to claim the win (as they also did in the Cup three weeks ago). Judging by the overall picture of the game, the victory rightfully went to the visitors.
From tip-off to the final buzzer, the Makedones held the lead throughout the contest, never relinquishing it despite several comeback attempts by the Old Timers. The visitors led 9–12 at the end of the first quarter and extended their advantage to 14–22 by halftime.
Nevertheless, at the start of the second half the hosts made a strong push, cutting the deficit to its minimum (26–27) with about two minutes remaining in the third quarter, injecting new suspense into the game. The tension did not last long, however, as the Makedones responded with a quick 9–0 run, pushing the lead back into double figures and effectively settling the outcome.
The final 32–46 sealed the win and the smiles for the visitors, who can now optimistically look toward a higher finish in the standings by the end of the Second Phase. Top scorers for the winners were Ilias Chalntoupis and Chrysanthos Chrysanthou with 11 points each, while for the hosts Charis Michael and Marios Ioannou stood out with 9 and 6 points respectively.
