The invincible army that set fire to the baskets

He has written his own story in Greek and European basketball by Olympiacos with the first championships in 1949 and 1960 with the Spanoudakis brothers, the triple cranon of 1997 and the back to back to Euroleague in 2012 and 2013 and so many other great moments.

But a separate period, which left indelibly the mark of the Reds in Greek basketball, was the terrible team originally made by Phaedon Matthaiou and with which Costas Mourouzis, the unbeaten championship in 1976 and the first in the first half of the story in 1976. But also the second double in 1978.

In general, the reds of that 1970s from 1976 to 1980 is one of the best teams to ever appeared in the history of both the club and the Greek basketball with two championships, four cups and European successes.

In 1977, Yatzoglou, Kastrinakis, Melini and Diakoulas starred in the biggest victory of the Reds over Panathinaikos with 110-68 and even away for the cup. Coach now is the former Panathinaikos technician, the « fox of the bench » Costas Mourouzis, who is condemned by Panathinaikos’ friends as a traitor

The beginning

It all began in 1967 when Phaedon Matthew took over Olympiacos in the Second National then and immediately raised him in the big category. The team is initially between the 4th-5th place in the coming years with the AEK-Panathinaikos dipole being uninvited having monopolized all the championships from 1964 (which began the First National) until 1975 with the Greens having seven conquests and the yellow five years.

Meanwhile, Olympiacos has been taken over by the great Nikos Goulandris who is growing up in football with the superstar of that season with the lamps and cups.

Phaedon Matthaiou, who has been in the team for some years, now has financial support and is starting to find players from the large US homogeneous market.

As in the mid -1960s and for more than a decade, Greek teams have had only one essential way to reinforce themselves by finding players with Greek roots from America.

As the 12 -year regulation internally (a team could not change before 12 years if the team did not consent) and the difficulty in transfers in amateur sports was great.

So our teams had begun to bring players from the US with Panathinaikos catching the « jackpot » with Chris Kefalos and AEK with Thanassis Christoforou.

With the financial support of Nikos Goulandris, Phaedon Matthew is growing. The first and older of the golden generation of Greek Americans is Steve Yatzoglou, who comes in the middle of the 1971-72 season and is essentially the leader of Olympiacos, the Lion of Reds. Basketball started at the University of Connecticut called Steve Yang.

He competed in many teams and in 1972 came from a Lebanese team at Olympiacos.

This is followed by Giorgos Kastrinakis, Pavlos Diakoulas, while the four of the expatriates will be completed shortly afterwards with the playmaker Paul (Paul) Melini.

Loud return

Olympiacos comes in for the good of the game of the championship in a five-year period that Panathinaikos dominates (five championships in continuous 1971-1975). In 1975, Olympiacos defeats the Greens comfortably 73-60 in Piraeus and when they also lose to AEK, he has the first reason for the championship. But a defeat by PAOK (77-75) to the end is dearly costing Olympiacos who now goes to Avenue for a final championship. The Greens in a dramatic game prevail 63-61 and then winning at their home comfortably Mars and PAOK take the 5th consecutive championship with a point difference from Olympiacos but returned for good.

Phaedon Matthaiou vows with his players for the following year, which is a year in the history of the club and Greek basketball.

An invincible Armada (Rammos, Kokorogiannis, Kastrinakis, Diakoulas, Yatzoglou, Tsantalis, Barlas, Garonis, Melini, Spanos, Sismanidis) conquers the first double in the history of Olympiacos and Greek basketball with 22-0. In fact, in the championship he was walking and in no games he won in the final, leaving behind six points Mars and Panathinaikos who had six defeats each.

In detail the results of the undefeated champions (first referring to each team their home matches):

With AEK (89-72 and 62-51), with ARIS (75-69 and 78-71), with Hercules (96-71 and 74-69), with Ionic Nicaea (92-88 and 78-66), with Marousi (85-70 and 83-74), with Panathinaikos (101-74 and 72-65), (88-63 and 77-68), with Panionio (101-70 and 70-58), with PAOK (82-59 and 80-41), with Sporting (72-65 and 72-56), with HANTH (72-66 and 68-50).

Steve Yatzoglou’s aggressive talent was the trademark of that group

The first cup

The first Greek Cup to be established at the time was with the participation of 90 teams, which until they reached the ’16’ phase, played north and south to reduce expenses and then played together.

In Phase 4 and in the southern group the lottery is happy and brings a knockout derby to the « Indian tomb » between Panathinaikos and Olympiacos in their first game for the event. The Reds prevail 64-60 making it 3/3 that season over their big opponent.

Panathinaikos played without the punished Kefalos and Koroneos, while 17 -year -old Memo Ioannou debuted. Top Trinity for the Reds are Yatzoglou (11 BC), Kastrinakis (12 BC) and Diakoulas (12 BC). In the next phase, Olympiacos walks away with Aeolos Taurus (68-50) as well as in the quarter-finals with Democritus (87-70). In the semifinals in the only game that year that Matthew’s team dominated Hercules in Thessaloniki at the BAO stadium 73-71 with Kastrinakis (22 BC) and Diakoula (16 BC). (1997) next to Dusan Ivkovic. Bogatsiotis then almost against Olympiacos but a crucial lost lion and two lost shots were decisive. In a derby where Costas Rigas had threatened to stop it if the insults were not stopped.

On July 12, 1976, in the final at the Glyfada Indoor Stadium, Olympiacos defeated AEK 81-69 and won the Cup, which had established-for the first time-by the Hellenic Basketball Federation. With a big opponent on the opposite bench Costas Mourouzis.

The fight was to take place at the Panathenaic Stadium, the touch and tradition of the 1976 flame was scheduled for 13/7, so the space in Kallimarmaro did not reshape. The four finals were made in the stadium until 1980, with Olympiacos winning the three and losing only to Panathinaikos (in 1979).

• Olympiacos (Matthew): Kastrinakis 20, Yatzoglou 19, Diakoulas 18, Melini 11, Barlas 7, Rammos 2, Sismanidis 2, Spanos 2, Garonis, Kokorogiannis.
• AEK (Mourouzis): Giannouzakos 18, Kontos 13, Tsoskounoglou 10, 10 Kantelis 10, Papadatos 10, Trontzos 6, Nessiadis 2, Nidriotis, Apostolidis, Katerouliotis.

The same season Olympiacos will reach the quarter -finals of the Cup Cup. In the European games, the great then Charlie Yelverton participates in Portland Trail Blazers.

Historical victory

In 1977, Yatzoglou, Kastrinakis, Melini and Diakoulas starred in the biggest victory of the Reds over Panathinaikos with 110-68 and even away for the cup. A coach of the Reds is the former Panathinaikos technician, the « fox of the bench » Costas Mourouzis who is condemned by Panathinaikos’ friends as a traitor.

In Kallimarmaro that night (June 1, 1977), over 20,000 fans were found but fewer than 10,000 were the ones who had a ticket that cost enough for the season (80 drachmas).

Olympiacos, led by the amazing Greek -American playmaker Paul Melini (24 BC) and the dominant of the ether of George Kastrinakis (22 BC) walking with Coach Mourouzis’ belt to « drown » the Greens.

In the 23rd minute the difference has already been thrown to 30 points (61-31) to stop the converter at +42, the far biggest difference ever in history in a derby of eternity.

« It is a result that will be remembered for 50 years, » says Steve Yatzoglou with an emphasis shortly before the festivities begin.

Panathinaikos had only been distinguished by only an 18 -year -old kid then Memo Ioannou, while rumors wanted several players at the urging of Chris Kefalos to decide to play relaxed to « punish » the administration for no money.

Olympiacos then won the trophy by defeating Espero Kallithea (131-66), Mars (48-46), Hercules (95-65) and Panionios in the final 103-88.

The second double

A year later, in 1978, Olympiacos celebrates the second double in his history in three years. The victory in the « Tomb of the Indus » in a shocking game with Panathinaikos largely judges the title in the league. The Reds lead 72-70 and win a foul 3 seconds before the end (of Kefalos in Yatzoglou). They choose shots instead of side, Yatzoglou fails in both and Apostolos Kontos sends the match to the extension with a basket of almost basketball to basketball! The Reds win 81-77 in the extension and take the championship and later the cup (83-72 AEK in the final).

In 1979 the team reaches the final phase of the Champions League, proving that it is on a continuous upward run even if it comes 6th to the Final-6 with a single victory over Maccabi (79-77). The last title for that great Olympian in the 1980 Cup (85-80 AEK).