The Nicosia Wizards closed their Silver Category Second Phase campaign with a victory over the Old Bulldogs, defeating them comfortably 70–53. They will now anxiously await tomorrow’s result of the game between the Blue Cats and the UNIC Senior Eagles to find out whether they will qualify for the Final-4.
Based on the current standings, the Wizards will need the Blue Cats to lose on Thursday in Agios Dometios, since in the event of a tie the qualification spot would go to the Blue Cats, who won the head-to-head matchup. If the UNIC Senior Eagles win, the “Wizards” will finish 4th, setting up a semifinal clash with EAK on the road to the Grand Final (11/03, A’ Primary School of Agios Dometios, 20:30).
Last night’s game in Lakatamia was largely one-sided in terms of motivation. The Old Bulldogs had no standings-related incentive beyond pride, unlike the hosts who were determined to secure the win. This quickly became evident on the court, as after a balanced first quarter, Giorgos Papadopoulos’ team took control and gradually built a comfortable lead.
By the end of the third quarter, the Wizards were ahead by 20 points (53–33), effectively deciding the outcome of the game. The final 70–53 score gave the hosts their fourth victory of the Second Phase and kept their Final-4 hopes alive.
The MVP of the game was the outstanding Sotiris Christodoulou, who delivered a remarkable performance with 35 points, 13 rebounds, and an efficiency rating of 44. His main supporting scorers were Angelos Michaelidis with 13 points and Andreas Orfanos with 12. For the visitors, Andreas Parisis and Sofoklis Lamprakis stood out with 15 and 14 points respectively.
Last night’s game was also the final match of the season for Haris Papakyriakou’s Old Bulldogs. We sincerely thank them for their presence throughout this year’s Winter Championship and hope to see them back again next autumn.
