As Karditsa — Vikos: 85:74, Basket League

Carditsa beat Vikos 85-74 in the Greek basketball league on Friday. The hosts stayed within their own half of the floor and got the result they needed at home. It was not a statement win, but it moved them a step further from the bottom.

Carditsa shot 27 from 61 in the field and hit eight three-pointers. They pulled down 34 rebounds and committed 10 turnovers. Vikos managed 26 from 58 on field goals and nine from distance. Their 19 assists showed movement, but eight turnovers and only two blocks did not help.

and here's the thing — Carditsa had the game won early. We called a home win at 52 per cent confidence before kick-off, and they delivered. They got points in the opening quarter and never let the visitors close. The lead stretched past twenty points before the run-out

the visitors clawed back in the third period. They cut the gap to twelve points and had hopes of dragging it into the fourth. But Carditsa's eight blocks and 23 defensive rebounds kept them in control. Vikos could not find a rhythm once the lead went beyond twenty.

Carditsa sit eleventh after twenty-four games, with seven wins and seventeen losses. A draw is not a thing in basketball, so the record stands as it is. They have been inconsistent all season, and this result does not change that. They still need points to climb.

Vikos lost their last three games and are staring at the drop. They beat Papago and Proteas Voulas in April, but the form has gone sideways. A 103-point defeat to Panathinaikos on Wednesday was not kind. They need to find something before the next round.