PAOK Women's basketball beat Olympiacos 69–65 at the PAOK Sports Arena in the fourth round of the A1 (1)(3)(6). It was the first win over Olympiacos in women's basketball in the club's history (7). One line in the record books, earned at the Palataki.
A first, not a lucky one
The 69–65 scoreline says it was tight. The history says it was overdue. Angelos Angelidis had set this as the target from the start, and his players delivered it in round four (10). Peri Paige was in the mixed zone afterwards (10). PAOK did not stumble into this. They went and took it.
The women are not slowing down
PAOK Women beat Kifisia 5–1 at Neoi Epivates in the fourth round of the A' Ethniki (4)(5)(9). Four games, four wins, still clear at the top of the women's league (5). Gatsanitsa, Giannaka, Gouni and Vardali are the names on the sheet, and the reigning double winners have dropped nothing yet (9). AEK, the side expected to chase them, have already lost ground (4).
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That is the interesting part of the week. Two different PAOK sides, two different competitions, both winning with the same absence of drama.
The first team go to Crete
The first team sit fourth on 15 points from seven games, with a +6 goal difference and form reading L W W L W. That 1–3 home defeat to Kalamata on October 12 is the thing that keeps this from looking like a title charge. Nine points dropped in seven games is not a stumble, it is a pattern that has not yet been broken.
Next comes OFI Crete away on Sunday, October 25, then Asteras Tripoli at home on November 1.
What to watch
Two dates. OFI away on October 25 is the first team's chance to make it two league wins in a row for the first time in this run, against a side PAOK should be beating if fourth place is to become anything more. Then Asteras at home on November 1, a fixture where Kalamata proved that a home game in Thessaloniki is not a guarantee.
And keep an eye on the women. Four from four with a five-goal afternoon is the sort of start that turns a title defence into a procession if nobody stops it. Nobody has yet.
