Greece sends a team to Bucharest Challenger for the first time. From the City of Gods right to “Kilometer Zero” of the Romanian Capital, here come three Greeks and one Serbian guy!
Petros Melissaratos, Nikos Tsiokos and Thanasis Chanias-Pantazis, ranked 5th, 6th and 7th among Greek 3×3 players, competed all four tournaments in 2017 alongside Serbia’s Alexander Stevovic, who’s got a 5×5 pro basketball contract in Greece. Don Poly arrives in Bucharest after a first World Tour appearance in Prague (12th place) and three podium finishes in as many tournaments played in Greece.
Key player: Petros Melissaratos
Having made the Greek roster for the 2012 U20 European Championship, Melissaratos delivered good performances up to the quarterfinals. The 2.06-meters center is Don Poly’s number one. Aged 24, Petros comes fresh of winning the 2017 Greek second-tier championship on 5×5 basketball, as a member of Panionios Athens. Panionios has had a formidable rise in the last two seasons: after winning Greek 3rd tier in 2016, the team managed in the first year of promotion to win the 2nd tier, thus securing a spot in the Greek elite 5×5 basketball league for the 2017/2018 season, alongside local heroes Panathinaikos, Aris, POAK and AEK.
Melissaratos is knocking at the gates of major basketball and since 2016 he has shown the same passion and dedication in the 3×3, as in 5×5.
Athens Don Poly will be hoping for a dream debut in FIBA 3×3 Challenger events when they take the courts in University Square.
