46 Facts About Aris BC

Aris BC was founded in 1922, eight years after the founding of the multi-sport club and the football team.

Aris BC holds the record for the most straight wins in the Greek League, at an amazing 80 consecutive wins in a row.

Consequently, Aris BC helped to establish basketball in Greece, and to greatly increase its popularity across the country.

Under the leadership of the legendary duo of Nikos Galis and Panagiotis Giannakis, Aris BC was the dominant force in Greek basketball during the 1980s and early 1990s.

Aris BC is one of the most renowned Greek clubs in European basketball, participating in three consecutive FIBA European Champions Cup Final Fours, and later on winning three lower-tier level European titles.

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Aris BC quickly created a remarkable tradition in basketball, with notable figures, like Faidon Matthaiou and Anestis Petalidis, who was coach of the team for almost two decades.

From that season onward, Aris BC acquired the Alexandreio Melathron as its home court, which it still is to this day.

In that year, Aris BC won their first Greek League championship in the modern era, largely through the inspired play of Charis Papageorgiou, and the coaching of Giannis Ioannidis, an ex-player of the team.

Aris BC was narrowly eliminated by the very powerful Israeli League team, but not before posting an away win at Tel Aviv, something that no other European team had managed to do for many years.

Especially between 1985 and 1988, the question was not who the Greek League champion would be, but if Aris BC would go undefeated or not, as the club won an unparalleled 80 games in a row at one point.

Aris BC formed the backbone of the senior Greece men's national basketball team, sending Galis, Giannakis, Filippou, Romanidis, and Lipiridis .

Aris BC, sporting Nikos Galis, Panagiotis Giannakis, Lefteris Subotic, and a third rate American player, Jackson, managed an unbelievable win in Thessaloniki, by 31 points, almost assuring the elimination of Tracer, and an advancement into the final group of the 6 best European teams.

Aris BC had to wait for another year to compete in Europe again, but their strength had been established.

In 1987, Aris BC was not paired against an established FIBA European Champions' Cup team, and thus advanced to the final round of the 8 best European champions.

Aris BC elevated the measly standards that previously existed among Greek teams, to new heights that demanded the attention of the sports fans.

For example, Aris BC was playing basketball with other European teams every Thursday night.

Aris BC had a two-game lead, after winning the first two games of the series, but PAOK managed to even the score with two victories in the first two playoff games, so, naturally, they had the momentum going into the fifth game of the best-of-seven series.

Aris BC went on to win the next playoff game, and thus win the 1991 Greek League championship.

That Aris BC team beat their arch-rivals PAOK, once during the Greek League regular season, while advancing to a 4-team group in the European-wide FIBA Korac Cup, where they almost got first place in their group.

Aris BC returned to the Greek League games, and in idiotic fashion, lost three games against inferior opponents Panionios, Papagou, and Peiraikos.

Qualification for the EuroLeague was critical that season, but not many of Aris BC' fans believed it was a realistic goal, as Olympiacos, AEK, and Panathinaikos seemed to be way ahead in terms of personnel and financial status.

The leadership of Lefteris Hatzopoulos ended, Efthimis Kioumourtzoglou was no longer the team's head coach, and Aris BC was in God's hands, while some of the most dramatic moments in the club's history were taking place.

Brave heart Aris BC continued with just 8 players thereafter in the season.

In October 2002, Aris BC beat Peristeri, at the eighth-finals of the Greek Cup, and proceeded to the Greek Cup Final Four for the first time since 1999.

Aris BC' fans realized that the best was yet to come, as along with the qualification Aris BC, was a very competitive team that was among the top teams in Europe's 4th-tier level FIBA EuroCup Challenge.

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Aris BC proceeded on to the Greek Cup Final against rival Panathinaikos, whose task was much easier, as they had only needed to overcome Irakleio in the other semifinal.

However, Aris BC' fans renewed their rendezvous for the upcoming final four of FIBA Europe Champions Cup, that was going to take place in Alexandreio, at Thessaloniki.

Aris BC was very nervous and needed a sudden wake-up in the second half, to overcome the difficulties of the game, and overcome the Serbian opponents.

Aris BC' fans were again ready at their positions, and created a unique atmosphere that remained the trademark of the competition.

Aris BC was lucky enough that season to have probably its strongest team in a decade, as the club had well-known players that season like: Smush Parker, Toby Bailey, Nestoras Kommatos, Ryan Stack, Fedor Likholitov, and Miroslav Raicevic.

Aris BC eliminated Iraklis during the Greek Cup, and proceeded to the Greek Cup Final Four, for the second consecutive season.

At Thessaloniki, Aris BC' supporters gathered at the White Tower of Thessaloniki, which is the symbol of the city.

Aris BC lost the best of 3 games series, 2 games to 1, in the final eight round versus Maroussi.

That same season, Aris BC was eliminated in the Greek Basket League playoffs by AEK Athens, who managed to beat Aris BC at Ivanofeio in the quarterfinals.

Aris BC changed almost its entire squad that year, and added the young and talented player Sofoklis Schortsanitis.

Aris BC had to play its "home" game in the match up at the Larissa Neapolis Arena, instead of at Alexandreio Melathron, as a punishment for what had happened at the previous Greek Cup final game against Olympiacos, where the fans of both clubs had gotten out of control.

Nonetheless, about 500 Aris BC fans went to Kozani, and were able to secure tickets.

Aris BC had to play the EuroLeague powerhouse Panathinaikos in the final.

However, about 150 Aris BC fans were able to manage their way into the arena, to help support the club.

The Aris BC players complained during the game, about the refereeing.

Aris BC proceeded to the Top-16 round of the ULEB Cup, where it was matched up against Lietuvos Rytas of the Baltic League in a two-game series.

That same season, Aris BC was eliminated from the Greek League without taking home the national championship.

Aris BC lost to Panathinikos during the play-off semifinals, and had to face Maroussi in a best-of-five series, for third place.

Aris BC proceeded from the group phase to the Top 16 stage, where the team eliminated fellow Greek club Panionios, in a two-game series.

Aris BC was placed in Group C, along with CSKA Moscow, FC Barcelona, Benetton Treviso, Pau Orthez, Eldo Napoli, Fenerbahce, and Zalgiris Kaunas.

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Aris BC was then placed in Group D, alongside Unicaja Malaga, Dynamo Moscow, and Benetton Treviso.