With ETHA’s away victory over Anorthosis by a final score of 67–64, the second round of the first phase of the ECOMMBX Basket League came to a close, following the game held at the 2nd Technical School of Limassol.
The Engomi team, although trailing 38–32 at halftime, thanks mainly to its strong defense in the second half, as well as Seales’s initiatives (Mannaris also stood out), as the clock ran out and the American hit a three-pointer, secured its second consecutive victory, having defeated Digenis in the season opener.
ΣΧΕΤΙΚΑ ΑΡΘΡΑ
On the other hand, tonight’s loss was Anorthosis’s second in a row.
Mielke led the winners with 14 points and 18 efficiency points.
After Anorthosis took an early 10-4 lead, ETHA then improved its defense and found its rhythm on offense; after the score had reached 16-9 in Anorthosis’s favor following a 9-0 run, ETHA took the lead at 18-16.
This happened at the 8-minute mark.
However, in the closing moments of the first period, Anorthosis went on a 5-0 run to take a 21-18 lead at the 10-minute mark.
The lead continued to change hands at the start of the second quarter, as ETHA initially took the lead at 23-21, and then the home team went ahead 29-25.
The pace was fast, and after Anorthosis took the lead 36-30, the home team was ahead 38-32 at halftime.
Early in the third quarter, ETHA cut the deficit to three points (39-36), but with a 5-0 run, Anorthosis took a 44-36 lead.
In the minutes that followed, Anorthosis maintained a small but steady lead, though ETHA stayed close, thanks mainly to Seales’s scoring.
Early in the fourth quarter, ETHA narrowed the gap to 51–50, a turn of events that foreshadowed a nail-biting finish.
In the minutes that followed, Anorthosis held onto the lead, but ETHA stayed close, thanks to Mannaris’s points, they closed the gap to one point again (58–57) at the 35-minute mark.
At the 36-minute mark, ETHA took the lead 59-58, and immediately afterward, Anorthosis regained the lead 64-61, which happened shortly after the 38-minute mark.
Shortly before the 39th minute, ETHA tied the score at 64-64 with a three-pointer by Seales, and after both teams missed their shots, Seales hit another three-pointer at 39:58, putting the score at 67-64 for the visitors, who were now very close to victory.
Boykin missed a three-point attempt at the end, and so ETHA secured the victory, 67–64.
Quarter scores: 21-18, 38-32, 51-47, 64-67.
Anorthosis (Daniel Nelson): Boykin 13 (3), Cheimonas 9, Garcia 17 (2), Henderson 16, Federico, Charles, Tretyakov 2, Agathoklis, Marangos 7.
ETHA (Michalis Arvanitis): Brown 6, Christodoulidis, Mielke 14 (2), Saintilus 10, Seales 19 (5), Kelasidis, Papadopoulos 3 (1), Mannaris 5 (1), Linoxylakis, Androulidakis 8 (2), Neophytou 2.
