The Paralimni Youth Union made the surprise inside its headquarters and prevailed over APOEL 77-76, in a match that took place in the context of 12th of the OPAP Basket League, after an exciting game. The "blue-yellows" started the game better and took the lead up to 10 points difference. In the second half, the Union was improved and managed to take the lead, while in the last minutes of the match the differences between the two teams were very small, with the "purple" at the end celebrating the victory. Anthony Hickey was the leader with 17 points (3 three-pointers, 1 rebound, 5 assists, 6 steals).
With two points from Fields and a three-pointer from Moore, APOEL entered the game (5-0) in the first minute, while in the 2nd minute, the "blue and yellows" were ahead 8-5. By the middle of the season, the Nicosia team opened the gap to seven points (18-11), with the "purple" scoring three points in the next minute (two by Okonobo, one by Hickey) and reducing to 18-14. APOEL's response was immediate, where with six points (Kounas three points, Fleming two, Fields one) brought the difference to ten (24-14). By the end of the season, ENP reduced the difference to seven, with the score being 29-22.
The home team started the second half with four points by Okonobo, reducing to 29-26. In the 2nd minute the difference that separated the two teams was in two (31-29), while in the next minute Ieronymidis and Kounas scored two points and made it 34-29 for the team of Antonis Konstantinidis. Then ENP scored three more points (two Myers, one Major) for APOEL to respond with two new points by Ieronymidis and one by Kounas, and bring the score to 37-32. Nikolas Papadopoulos' team continued to push and keep the differences small (41-39 at 18:30), with APOEL scoring four more points before the end of the half with Moore and Fields and making it 45-39.
Vassilis Kounas gave me an eight-point lead to APOEL, early in the third period (47-39). Then ENP with six consecutive points (four Solomou, two Okonobo) reduced to 47-45 at 23:30, while two minutes later APOEL was ahead of the score with 49-48. Then the guests scored five points (Baker three points, Fields two) and brought the score to 54-48, for ENP to respond with a series of eight points (Hickey five, Papadopoulos three points) and take the lead with 56-54 in 28 '. The two teams scored two points until the end of the season, which found ENP leading 58-56.
With a three-pointer by Myers, ENP entered the 61th period, bringing the score to 56-61, with APOEL equalizing with five points by Fields (61-32) until 30:34. In the 65th minute, APOEL took the lead again with 63-66, with ENP responding immediately with three points (two by Atwood and one by Major) and making it 65-68 in its favor. The differences remained very small and then, with the score being 68-36 in 71 ', with APOEL scoring three points with Kaskiris and leading 68-75. A little later, ENP scored seven points (four by Atwood, three by Major) and took a 71-37 lead at 30:76. APOEL's reaction was immediate, where with a layup by Gary and a three-pointer by Kounas, he took the lead again with 75-39, in 77 '. Shortly before the end of the match, Solomou made 76-XNUMX for ENP, giving this great victory to his team!
TEN MINUTES: 22-29, 39-45, 58-56, 77-76
IN. Paralimni (Nikolas Papadopoulos)
Hickey 17 (3), Atwood 9 (2), Major 13 (2), Myers 16 (2), Pyrillis 3 (1), Zantis, Solomou 6, Papadopoulos 3 (1), Okonobo 10.
APOEL (Antonis Konstantinidis)
Gary 10 (2), Pilavas, Moore 6 (1), Baker 10 (1), Fields 25, Fleming 2, Ieronymidis 7, Kounas 13 (2), Kaskiris 3.
Source: goal.com.cy