Intercollege/ETHA stunned Madisons APOEL in Round 14 opener

Alexander Wesby scored 23 points to lift Intercollege/ETHA over Madisons APOEL 74-65 in the first game of the national basketball championship Round 14 on Friday night at the Tassos Papadopoulos Eleftheria Athletic Center in Nicosia.

This victory improves the Engomi team’s chances to finish the regular season among the top four teams and therefore has a home court advantage in the playoffs. At the same time the ruling champions suffered their third consecutive defeat in all competitions, two in the national championship and one in the FIBA EuroChallenge, but it is expected that they will end the regulation on the top of the league as in the remaining three games they face two team that are at the rock bottom Nissan Omonoia and Ydra Asphalistiki ENAD, as well as Pizza Express Apollon. Their competitors for the top spot, Proteas EKA AEL, have somewhat more difficult schedule and are already two wins behind the Nicosia powerhouse.

Wesby was the main reason the hosts held 18-13 lead at the end of the opening period, but midway the second quarter the ruling champions leveled the score at 26-26. However, Antonis Konstantinides’ men closed down the first half on a 6-2 run to take 32-28 lead.

They then continued in the same offensive rhythm after the interval starting the third quarter with 14-3 streak, but Brandon Heath helped Madisons APOEL cut their deficit to only five points at 52-47 with the final ten minutes remaining. The visitors then even took the lead at 60-59, but a 10-0 run by the hosts put the game beyond any doubt as they led 69-60 with just over a minute left on the clock.

Anthony King had a double-double for Intercollege/ETHA with 15 points and a game-high 13 rebounds. Ken Tutt scored 10 points and dished out five assists.

Heath led Madisons APOEL and all the scorers with 29 points, while Lewis Sims chipped in with 14 points.

In the last game of Round 14 Frederick Achilleas Kaimakliou host Nissan Omonoia this evening at the Lefkotheo Indoor Arena with the tip-off scheduled for 19:00.

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