Aris Thessaloniki B.C. 84, Bahcesehir Koleji 88 — Bahcesehir Koleji left Thessaloniki with a hard-fought 88-84 victory over Aris Thessaloniki B.C. in Club Friendship basketball action on Tuesday, September 22, 2026. The game tipped at 21:00 and remained undecided until the final minute, with Bahcesehir making the bigger plays down the stretch to secure a valuable road result.

Match Overview

Aris started with energy in front of their home crowd at the Nick Galis Hall, using quick ball movement and aggressive drives to take an early 24-20 lead after the first quarter. Bahcesehir settled into the game in the second period, matching Aris point for point and trimming the deficit to 46-42 by halftime. The visiting side flipped the game in the third quarter, outscoring Aris 24-18 to take a 66-64 advantage into the final ten minutes. From there, the contest turned into a possession-by-possession battle, with neither team able to pull away until the closing moments.

Quarter-by-Quarter Scoring

• First quarter: Aris 24, Bahcesehir 20
• Second quarter: Aris 22, Bahcesehir 22
• Halftime: Aris 46, Bahcesehir 42
• Third quarter: Aris 18, Bahcesehir 24
• Fourth quarter: Aris 20, Bahcesehir 22
• Final: Aris Thessaloniki B.C. 84, Bahcesehir Koleji 88

Key Moments

Aris opened the game with an 8-0 run and looked ready to control the tempo, but Bahcesehir answered with a patient 10-2 stretch of their own to get back into the contest. The second quarter was a back-and-forth affair, with Aris repeatedly pushing the lead to six before Bahcesehir closed the half with timely three-point shooting.

The decisive stretch came in the third quarter. Bahcesehir came out of the locker room with renewed defensive intensity, forcing Aris into difficult mid-range attempts and converting stops into transition points. A 10-2 run gave the visitors their first real cushion at 54-52, and they carried a 66-64 lead into the fourth.

Aris refused to fade. A three-pointer from Dimitris Papadopoulos tied the game at 78-78 with just under four minutes remaining, sending the home crowd into a frenzy. Bahcesehir responded with a 7-0 run, capped by a clutch corner three from Kerem Aydin. Aris cut the deficit to 85-82 in the final minute, but Bahcesehir converted key free throws and forced a late turnover to seal the 88-84 win.

Tactical Story

Aris built their offense around interior pressure, feeding Papadopoulos and Giorgos Theodorou in the paint and attacking the offensive glass. That approach worked for long stretches, as Aris finished with 38 rebounds and scored 42 points inside the arc. However, the home side struggled with turnovers in the fourth quarter, giving Bahcesehir extra possessions at the worst possible time.

Bahcesehir countered with a more perimeter-oriented attack. The Turkish club used high pick-and-roll actions with Aydin and center Emre Kaya, forcing Aris to switch and then punishing mismatches. Bahcesehir shot 48% from the field and knocked down 11 three-pointers, while also getting 24 points from their bench. Their 17-of-20 free-throw shooting proved to be a critical margin in a game decided by four points.

Standout Players

• Kerem Aydin (Bahcesehir Koleji): 24 points, 6 assists, 4 rebounds — the game’s most influential perimeter player, especially in the closing minutes.
• Marko Petrovic (Bahcesehir Koleji): 18 points, 9 rebounds — provided steady scoring and physical defense on the wing.
• Emre Kaya (Bahcesehir Koleji): 12 points, 10 rebounds — controlled the paint and set solid screens in the pick-and-roll.
• Dimitris Papadopoulos (Aris Thessaloniki B.C.): 22 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists — kept Aris in the game with timely shot-making.
• Nikos Vasileiou (Aris Thessaloniki B.C.): 17 points, 5 assists — pushed the pace and hit several tough runners.
• Giorgos Theodorou (Aris Thessaloniki B.C.): 14 points, 8 rebounds — active on the boards but limited by foul trouble late.

What the Result Means

The win gives Bahcesehir Koleji an important head-to-head edge in the Club Friendship competition and reinforces their reputation as a disciplined road team. For Aris Thessaloniki B.C., the loss is a frustrating one because they led for much of the first half and had chances to steal the game in the fourth quarter. The Greek side will need to clean up their late-game execution and free-throw consistency moving forward.

In the broader Club Friendship standings, Bahcesehir’s victory strengthens their position and adds momentum to their campaign, while Aris remains competitive but will look to respond quickly in