AEK kicked off its Stoiximan GBL season with a win, edging Kolossos H Hotels 87-85 at Kallithea Rhodes Indoor Hall.

In a thrilling game with plenty of lead changes, the “Queen” held on despite Gray being in foul trouble from the 26th minute with four fouls. The drama peaked in the final seconds: with AEK up 87-84, Kolossos’ Goodwin went to the line for three free throws, but he missed two of them, allowing AEK to walk away with the victory.

Next up for Dragan Sakota’s team is Tuesday’s (07/10, 21:00) clash against VEF Riga, in the opening round of Group F of the Basketball Champions League.

Referees: Tziopanos, Maglogiannis, Milapidis

Quarters: 18-22, 44-45, 60-68, 85-87

Kolossos H Hotels (Carrasco): Goudelock 17, Goodwin 11, Karampelas 2, Koloveros 2, Petropoulos 3, Barbitch 4, Ryan 11, Chrisikopoulos 5, Kalaitzakis, Kouroupakis 2, Galvanini 13, Akin 6.

AEK (Sakota): Gray 11 (1 3pt., 2 steals), Skordilis, Katsivelis 7, Flionis 13 (1 3pt., 2 steals, 4 blocks), Lekavicius 8 (2), Arsenopoulos, Kuzminskas 16 (1), Bartley 18 (3 3pt., 2 steals), Arms, Silva 8, Charalampopoulos 6 (2).