Tomorrow, October 13, Tsmoki-Minsk will play the opening game of the FIBA Europe Cup group stage. Our team will meet Greek Peristeri on the home court at Falcon Club.
Peristeri celebrated its anniversary this year - the club turned 50. Peristeri began its path in the national championship from the very bottom, gradually getting higher and higher. 2013 was a critical year for the team, they had to leave D1 due to financial difficulties. The rise of Peristeri started three years ago: after another win in the A2 League the team got the opportunity to play in the elite division. And they didn't get lost in there: for example, Peristeri finished regular season in 2020 in 3rd place, the last one – in 6th, also became the Greek Super Cup finalist.
Peristeri has been performing in the international arena since 1991. The club took part in the FIBA Kora? Cup, EuroChallenge, FIBA Europe Cup, Champions League. During the 2019-20 season, they even made it to the 1/8 finals, but lost twice to Israeli Hapoel (Jerusalem).
Peristeri is headed by 51-year-old Sotiris Manolopoulos. His coaching career is entirely related to Greek basketball. After a pretty long period of work as an Assistant Coach, he was appointed Acting Head Coach of Panathinaikos at the end of the season 2014-15. However, he couldn’t stay at the eminent club for a long time. Later Manolopoulos headed AEK and Ifaistos, from which he moved to Peristeri in 2021. Furthermore, last summer he was invited to the coaching staff of the Greek national team, which fought for a ticket to the Olympic Games.
The club tried to become much stronger this offseason in order to carry out its high goal. Current team roster contains seven legionaires from USA, Angola and Albania. Only three of them have remained from last year – Terran Petteway, Ioannis Efstathiadis and Xhulian Tola. Team freshmans: Josh Hagins (from Iraklis), Dimitris Moraitis, L. Chrysikopoulos, Yanick Moreira (all from AEK), Ian Miller (Cholet, France), Erik McCree (Gravelines, France), Chad Brown (Guelph, Canada). The 18-year-old talent Ilias Manias was also recruited from the farm team.
In the Greek championship, started on October 2, Peristeri first game was unsuccessfull - home loss to Promiteas 81: 88. Home team scoring leaders: Miller - 17 PTS + 3 AST, Brown – 13 PTS + 8 REB + 2 BLK, Katsivelis - 13 PTS + 4 REB + 3 AST, McCree 11 PTS + 5 REB.
Peristeri will perform in the FIBA European Cup with the following roster:
Guards:
5. Terran Petteway (USA, 1992, 198 сm)
6. Dimitris Moraitis (1999, 190 cm)
19. Dimitris Katsivelis (1991, 194 cm)
22. Christos Saloustros (1990, 202 cm)
44. Ian Miller (USA, 1991, 191 cm)
55. Josh Hagins (USA, 1994, 186 cm)
36. Ilias Manias (2003, 206 cm)
Forwards:
1. Erik McCree (USA, 1993, 201 cm)
15. L. Chrysikopoulos (1992, 207 cm)
37. Ioannis Efstathiadis (2003, 196 cm)
Centers:
2. Yanick Moreira (Angola, 1991, 205 cm)
16. Xhulian Tola (Albania, 2003, 211 cm)
21. Chad Brown (USA, 1996, 206 cm)
Head Coach - Sotiris Manolopoulos