Thomas Heurtel delivered a steady bench performance in his second official appearance for AEK Athens, helping his new club secure a 91-70 victory against Maroussi in their ESAKE League season opener on Saturday. AEK controlled the contest from the opening tip in front of their home supporters, recovering quickly from their earlier defeat in the Greek Super Cup.
How Heurtel and the AEK Bench Shaped the Opener
Playing 22 minutes off the bench, Heurtel contributed 7 points on 3-of-8 shooting, including a 2-of-3 mark from beyond the arc. The veteran French guard also chipped in 6 assists and 1 interception, finishing the night with an efficiency rating of 11.
AEK managed the game comfortably despite playing without Derrick Williams. The club’s frontcourt dominance was anchored by former Strasbourg center Nelly Joseph, who led all scorers with 18 points on 8-of-11 shooting while grabbing 6 rebounds. Additional support came from former French championship standouts Landers Nolley with 14 points and DeAndre Pinckney, who recorded 11 points and 8 rebounds.
Sakota Draws Parallels to De Colo Amid Roster Integration
Head coach Dragan Sakota addressed reporters after the final buzzer, comparing Heurtel’s arrival and immediate integration to Nando de Colo’s move to Fenerbahçe last season.
C’est un joueur très expérimenté, il nous apporte beaucoup,
Sakota told Gazzetta in post-match remarks. De nombreuses équipes dans d’autres championnats se renforcent et ont besoin de joueurs. L’année dernière, De Colo est arrivé à Fenerbahçe comme un joueur clé, pas seulement pour épauler. Heurtel est avec nous depuis quelques jours. Il va encore progresser, ses tirs vont rentrer.
Maroussi countered with solid efforts from former Bourg forward Maksim Salash, who finished with 8 points, and former Roanne center Silvio de Sousa, who posted 14 points and 7 rebounds.
Preparing for the Basketball Champions League Opening Week
AEK Athens will not have much time to celebrate their domestic success as European competition arrives midweek. The club turns its focus toward the Basketball Champions League (BCL), where they are scheduled to open group play on Wednesday, Oct. 7, at 19:00 local time against Finnish side Salon Vilpas.
Worth a look
