AEK Larnaca opened their Club Friendship campaign with a hard-fought 72-67 victory over Keravnos Strovolos in a Friday-night fixture at a lively home arena. In a game that stayed within a single possession for long stretches of the second half, the hosts found the extra basket and the extra stop when it mattered, closing out the contest with a composed final two minutes.

The five-point margin flatters neither side's effort. Keravnos led for parts of the first half and dragged the game into a grind-it-out fourth quarter, but AEK's control of the defensive glass and a steady stream of second-chance points proved the difference in a matchup that felt far closer than the final scoreline suggests.

Match overview

The game tipped off at 22:15 local time, and the late start produced a scrappy opening, with both teams trading empty possessions before the pace settled. AEK Larnaca looked the more organised side early, moving the ball through the high post and generating open looks from the corners, while Keravnos Strovolos relied on isolation basketball and aggressive drives to keep within touching distance.

Neither team shot the ball with real comfort from the perimeter. What AEK did better was manufacture points in the paint — attacking close-outs, drawing contact, and getting to the free-throw line at a higher rate than their visitors. That efficiency at the stripe, coupled with a decisive rebounding edge on the offensive end, quietly built the cushion that would eventually decide the result.

Quarter-by-quarter flow

• First quarter: A cagey start with good defensive energy. AEK edged ahead with a late 7-2 run, built on transition opportunities after Keravnos turnovers.
• Second quarter: Keravnos Strovolos responded, tightening up their half-court defence and getting production from their guards off the dribble. The visitors briefly took the lead before AEK answered before the break.
• Third quarter: The most physical stretch of the night. Both teams traded blows in the paint, fouls piled up, and neither side could string together more than two consecutive buckets.
• Fourth quarter: AEK Larnaca's half-court execution held firm, while Keravnos' offence stalled against a compact, switching defence that took away the drive-and-kick game.

The key moments

The decisive sequence arrived midway through the final quarter. With the game tied and both benches on their feet, AEK Larnaca strung together a small burst — a tough finish at the rim, a defensive rebound, and a corner three in transition — that forced Keravnos to chase the game over the closing minutes.

From there, the hosts managed the clock intelligently, working deep into possessions and forcing the visitors to foul. Keravnos had one late look to cut the deficit to a single possession, but a rushed three-pointer rimmed out, and AEK iced the game at the line. It was a professional close-out from a team that looked comfortable in a tight fourth quarter.

Tactical story: defence and the glass

The defining statistic of the night was rebounding. AEK Larnaca's frontcourt did the unglamorous work, contesting every miss and extending possessions with offensive boards that turned scoreless trips into points. Keravnos, for their part, competed hard but were frequently outmuscled inside, and their second-chance opportunities were limited.

Defensively, AEK's willingness to switch screens neutralised Keravnos' preferred pick-and-roll actions. The Strovolos guards were forced into mid-range pull-ups and contested floaters rather than clean looks at the rim, and their shooting percentage dipped as the game wore on. When Keravnos did break the defence down, AEK's rotations were quick enough to recover and contest.

Offensively, AEK were patient to a fault at times, but the approach paid off: fewer turnovers, more free throws, and a shot profile heavily weighted toward high-percentage attempts. Keravnos' best basketball came in transition, and when the pace slowed in the fourth quarter, that avenue closed.

Standout performers

AEK Larnaca's backcourt dictated the tempo, with the starting point guard controlling the pace and finding teammates on the roll throughout the second half. The team's captain was influential on the boards and at the free-throw line, while the bench provided a genuine spark with a run of hustle plays in the third quarter.

For Keravnos Strovolos, the perimeter scorers kept them alive, and their interior presence battled admirably against a bigger front line. The visitors' best stretch came when their guards pushed the ball off live rebounds — a reminder that this is a team capable of hurting opponents when the game opens up.

What it means for the Club Friends