Olympiacos president Angelopoulos: 'Our decision to leave the Greek League was the best possible' / News - Basketnews.com

Credit: Hellenic Basketball Federation Credit Hellenic Basketball Federation

It took Olympiacos Piraeus five years to win a domestic title, but the wait was definitely worth it for the three-time EuroLeague champs.

2-pointers this season

56%19,0Points made:19,0Accuracy:56,4%Place in standings:10Record max:25Record min:11Most made 2FGs:Moustapha FallTeamEuroLeagueStatisticsSchedule

In February 2019, the Reds decided to forfeit their Greek Cup semifinal against Panathinaikos OPAP Athens at OAKA, leaving the installation at the half-time break and raising the tension in their relationship with the Greek Basketball Federation.

The club got relegated to the second division, choosing to play only EuroLeague until the management of Greek basketball underwent a radical change.

When that happened, and former president Giorgos Vassilakopoulos was no longer eligible for re-election, club owners and co-presidents Panagiotis and Giorgos Angelopoulos decided that the time was right for the team to return to Greece's premier league.

Winning the club's 10th Greek Cup title thanks to an 81-73 comeback triumph over Panathinaikos might have further implications and ramifications, as Angelopoulos brothers told the media after the final held in Heraklion, Crete.

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"It's a title against Panathinaikos, in a great game, played fair and square. It is the first title in Greek basketball's new era.

This title has many symbols. We made the start, we have a new Federation, a new president, a Final Four that has just taken place. Some things have happened for the first time," Panagiotis Angelopoulos said post-game.

"Everyone knows we should have had other titles in the past. The decision to go all the way (editor's note: against the Greek Federation) was the best we have taken in our lives," Giorgos Angelopoulos told sport24.gr.

"Our decision to leave (from OAKA in 2019) was the best that we could possibly have made, one that everyone supported. If it hadn't been made, nothing would have changed. Things had to change," he added.

Referring to the Greek Cup final, he said: "We could have lost today. Panathinaikos played excellent basketball and we watched an excellent game."

Asked about the Reds' EuroLeague season, Giorgos Angelopoulos noted that the competition "is very competitive this year and the upcoming games will determine a lot. We're not going to finish 8th. Fans will come back sooner or later and we hope to have their support. Our team shows it has chemistry and roles".

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Panagiotis Angelopoulos thinks the Cup reflects "the great effort and the sacrifices that were made," as he told sports24.gr.

"While we were away, the financial impact was great but we wanted to support Olympiacos in a crucial period," he stressed.

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