Ilysiakos B.C. (

Greek Greek may refer to: Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe: *Greeks, an ethnic group *Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family **Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor of all kno ...

: Ηλυσιακός Κ.Α.Ε.) is a Greek professional

basketball Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular Basketball court, court, compete with the primary objective of #Shooting, shooting a basketball (ball), basketball (appro ...

team that is located in the Ilisia neighborhood of

Zografou Zografou () is a suburban town of approximately 70,000 inhabitants in the eastern part of the Athens agglomeration, Greece. It was named after the Greek politician Ioannis Zografos. To the east of Zografou lies mount Hymettus. The area, being ...

Athens Athens ( ) is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns in Greece, largest city of Greece. A significant coastal urban area in the Mediterranean, Athens is also the capital of the Attica (region), Attica region and is the southe ...

Greece Greece, officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. Located on the southern tip of the Balkan peninsula, it shares land borders with Albania to the northwest, North Macedonia and Bulgaria to the north, and Turkey to th ...

. The club's name is said to be a reference to

Elysium Elysium (), otherwise known as the Elysian Fields (, ''Ēlýsion pedíon''), Elysian Plains or Elysian Realm, is a conception of the afterlife that developed over time and was maintained by some Greek religious and philosophical sects and cult ...

, which is why the club's name and logo beings with a

Greek alphabet The Greek alphabet has been used to write the Greek language since the late 9th or early 8th century BC. It was derived from the earlier Phoenician alphabet, and is the earliest known alphabetic script to systematically write vowels as wel ...

Η, instead of an Ι, even though the name of Ilissia, where the club is based, begins with an Ι in Greek. However, when the name is translated into the

English alphabet Modern English is written with a Latin-script alphabet consisting of 26 Letter (alphabet), letters, with each having both uppercase and lowercase forms. The word ''alphabet'' is a Compound (linguistics), compound of ''alpha'' and ''beta'', t ...

, the H becomes an I.Basketball.ilisiakos.gr Με «Η» και με δάφνες.
The club is known for being based mostly on Greek players and Greek coaches, and for developing young players.

History

The parent athletic sports club, Ilysiakos Athlitikos Omilos (

: Ηλυσιακός Αθλητικός Όμιλος), was founded in 1927. The basketball team of Ilysiakos was established in 1968. In the 1986–87 season, Ilysiakos participated for the first time in the top

Greek Basket League The Greek Basketball League (GBL), and also known as the Stoiximan Greek Basketball League (GBL) for sponsorship reasons, is the Greek basketball league system, first tier level professional basketball league in Greece. It is run by the ...

, and stayed there for two straight seasons. Following the 1987–88 season, the team got

relegated Promotion and relegation is used by sports leagues as a process where teams can move up and down among divisions in a league system, based on their performance over a season. Leagues that use promotion and relegation systems are sometimes call ...

to the Greek 2nd Division. From 1988 to 2003, the club was competing in the Greek second and third divisions. However, the club had its biggest success with its participation in the final four of the

Greek Cup The Greek Football Cup (), commonly known as the Greek Cup or Betsson Greek Cup for sponsorship reasons is a Greek football competition, run by the Hellenic Football Federation. The Greek Cup is the second-most important domestic men's footba ...

in 1995, where the team finished in 4th place. In the year 2003, the club got promoted to the first division again, but was once again relegated to the second division after the 2003–04 season. The club's second return to the first division, in the 2009–10 season, was much more successful, as Ilysiakos played in the top division for 5 consecutive seasons. During that time, players like

Vonteego Cummings Vonteego Marfeek Cummings (born February 29, 1976) is an American former professional basketball player who last played for Atenienses de Manatí (basketball), Atenienses de Manatí of the Baloncesto Superior Nacional (BSN) in Puerto Rico. A co ...

, Brent Petway,

Terrell Stoglin Terrell DeVon Stoglin (born November 10, 1991) is an American professional basketball player. He served as the starting shooting guard for the University of Maryland, College Park, University of Maryland, where he played college basketball for tw ...

, and

Aloysius Anagonye Aloysius Anagonye (born February 10, 1981) is a Nigerian-American former professional basketball player. Professional career Anagonye played for Italian Serie A sides Villaggio Solidago Livorno (2004–2005) and Premiata Montegranaro (2006–2 ...

played with the club. In this same era of the club,

Nikos Chatzis Nikolaos "Nikos" Chatzis (alternative spelling: Hatzis) (; born 3 June 1976) is a retired Greek professional basketball player and coach. At a height of 1.96 m (6 ft 5 in) tall, he played at the shooting guard position. He is among the Greek ...

, who was a member of the senior men's Greek national team, and won several titles in his playing career: 2 Greek Cups (2000, 2001), the

FIBA Saporta Cup The FIBA Saporta Cup, founded as ''FIBA European Cup Winners Cup'', was the name of the second-tier level European-wide professional club basketball competition, where the domestic National Cup winners, from all over Europe, played against eac ...

(

2000 2000 was designated as the International Year for the Culture of Peace and the World Mathematics, Mathematical Year. Popular culture holds the year 2000 as the first year of the 21st century and the 3rd millennium, because of a tende ...

), and the Greek League championship (2002), became the

captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader or highest rank officer of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police depa ...

of the team. In this same time,

Panagiotis Kafkis Panagiotis Kafkis (alternate spelling: Panayiotis) (Greek: Παναγιώτης Καυκής; born May 8, 1980, in Athens, Greece) is a Greek former professional basketball player and coach. During his playing career, at a height of 1.97 m (6&nb ...

and

Georgios Apostolidis Georgios Apostolidis (alternate spelling: Giorgos) (Greek: Γιώργος Αποστολίδης; born June 22, 1984) is a Greek professional basketball player. He is 2.00 m (6 ft 6 in) tall. He can play at the point guard, shooting guard, ...

, who also represented Greece, were also members of the team.

Arena

Ilysaiakos plays its home games at the 1,700 seat Antonis Fotsis Indoor Hall. The arena is named in honor of Ilysiakos player

Antonis Fotsis Antonis Fotsis (alternate spellings: Adonis, Antonios, Greek: Αντώνης Φώτσης; born 1 or 2 April 1981) is a Greek professional basketball player for Ilysiakos. His height is of tall. During his professional career he was also the ...

Club titles and honors

*2× Greek 2nd Division Champion: (1985, 1986) * Greek 4th Division Champion: (2001) * Greek 3rd Division Champion: (2002)

Roster

Notable players

Tasos Antonakis Anastasios "Tasos" Antonakis (alternative spelling: Tassos) (; born 9 February 1992 in Athens, Greece) is a Greek professional basketball player who last played for Panionios of the Greek A2 Basket League. He is 2.05 m (6 ft 8 in) tall, and ...

Ioannis Athanasoulas Ioannis Athanasoulas (alternate spellings: Giannis, Yiannis, Yannis, Athanassoulas) (; born January 21, 1987) is a Greek professional basketball player for Psychiko of the Greek A2 Basket League. He is a tall small forward–power forward. Prof ...

Ioannis Athinaiou Ioannis Athinaiou (alternate spellings: Giannis, Yiannis, Yannis, Athineou, Athinaioy) (; born May 27, 1988) is a Greek fromer professional basketball player. He is 1.94 m (6 ft 4 in) tall. and 96 kg (212 lbs). He can play at both ...

Marios Batis Marios Batis (alternate spelling: Mpatis) (; born 20 June 1980) is a Greek former professional basketball player and current basketball coach. During his club playing career, at a height of is a tall, he played at the point guard and shooting g ...

Georgios Bogris Georgios Bogris (alternate spelling: Giorgos , Greek: Γιώργος Μπόγρης; born 19 February 1989 nicknamed as "Bogrihno") is a Greek professional basketball player. He is 2.10 m (6 ft 10 in) tall, 109 kg (240 lbs.) in we ...

Kostas Charissis Konstantinos "Kostas" Charissis (alternate spellings: Constantinos, Costas, Charisis, Harissis, Harisis) (; born November 12, 1979) is a Greek professional basketball player. He is a 2.12 m (6 ft 11 in) tall center. College career Charissi ...

Periklis Dorkofikis Periklis Dorkofikis (; born August 30, 1980) is a Greek former professional basketball player. At a height of 2.07 m (6'9 ") tall, he played at the power forward and center positions. Professional career During his pro career, Dorkofikis played ...

Petros Fikaris Petros, the original Greek version of the name Peter, meaning "stone" or "rock". Also an Armenian and Coptic name. May refer to: People * Petros (given name) * Petros (surname) * Petros (footballer), Brazilian footballer Petros Matheus dos Santos ...

Andreas Glyniadakis Andreas Glyniadakis (alternate spelling: Gliniadakis, Greek: Ανδρέας Γλυνιαδάκης; born 26 August 1981) is a former Greek professional basketball player, at a height of tall. During his professional club career that started in ...

* Vassilis Goumas *

Stelios Ioannou Stelios Ioannou (Greek: Στέλιος Ιωάννου; born July 28, 1987, in Athens, Greece) is a Greek professional basketball player. He is 6'7" and plays at the shooting guard position. Professional career After playing in the top-tier level ...

* Andreas Kanonidis *

Sakis Karidas Athanasios "Sakis" Karidas (alternate spelling: Karydas) (Greek: Αθανάσιος "Σάκης" Καρύδας; born November 4, 1979) is a Greek former professional basketball player. At a height of 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) tall, he played at th ...

Leonidas Kaselakis Leonidas Kaselakis (Greek: Λεωνίδας Κασελάκης; born 1 June 1990) is a Greek professional basketball player for Karditsa of the Greek Basketball League (GBL). He is a 2.03 m (6 ft 8 in) tall, 113 kg (250 lbs.) power ...

* Georgios Kastrinakis *

Dimitrios Kokolakis Dimitris Kokolakis (alternate spelling: Dimitrios) (Greek: Δημήτρης Κοκολάκης; born November 11, 1949) is a retired Greek professional basketball player. He was born in Rethymno, Greece. At a height of 2.15 m (7 ft. in.), ...

Dimitrios Kompodietas Dimitrios "Dimitris" Kompodietas (alternate spelling: Kobodietas) (; born April 26, 1985) is a Greek professional basketball player for Palaio Faliro B.C. of the Greek B Basket League. He is a tall shooting guard-small forward. Professional ca ...

Alexis Kyritsis Alexandros "Alexis" Kyritsis (alternate spelling: Kiritsis) (; born May 18, 1982) is a Greek professional basketball player. He is 1.98 m (6 ft 6 in) tall. He is a talented offensive combo guard-swingman. Professional career In his professi ...

Nikos Liakopoulos Nikolaos "Nikos" Liakopoulos (; born March 16, 1983, in Greece) is a Greek professional basketball player for KAO Korinthou of the Greek 3rd division. He is a tall point guard-shooting guard. Professional career Liakopoulos has played at the p ...

Marios Matalon Marios Matalon (Greek: Μάριος Ματαλών; born February 16, 1989) is a Greek professional basketball player for ASK Karditsas of the Greek A2 Basket League. Matalon, who was born in Thessaloniki, Greece, is a tall point guard. Colle ...

* Charis Papageorgiou *

Nikos Papanikolopoulos Nikolaos "Nikos" Papanikolopoulos (Greek: Νικόλαος "Νίκος" Παπανικολόπουλος; born April 21, 1979) is a retired Greek professional basketball player and current basketball coach. During his playing career, at a height ...

* Andreas Papantoniou *

Nondas Papantoniou Epameinondas-Savvas "Nondas" Papantoniou (alternate spellings: Epaminondas, Epameinontas, Nontas) (Greek: Επαμεινώνδας-Σάββας "Νώντας" Παπαντωνίου; born 28 April 1990) is a Greek professional basketball player ...

Michael Paragyios Michael Paragyios (alternate spellings: Michalis, Mihalis Paragios) (Greek: Μιχάλης Παραγιός; born August 25, 1982, in Glyfada, Athens, Greece) is a Greek former professional basketball player. At a height of 2.07m (6 ft 9 ½ ...

Stratos Perperoglou Efstratios "Stratos" Perperoglou ( Greek: Στράτος Περπέρογλου; born August 7, 1984) is a Greek former professional basketball player. He is tall and he played mainly at the small forward position. Professional career Perperogl ...

Alekos Petroulas Alexandros "Alekos" Petroulas (Greek: Αλέξανδρος "Αλέκος" Πέτρουλας; born June 2, 1978) is a Greek professional basketball player. At a height of tall, he can play at both the power forward and center positions. Profess ...

Leonidas Skoutaris Leonidas Skoutaris (; born 28 August 1976 in Athens, Greece), is a retired Greek professional basketball player. College career Skoutaris played college basketball at Cleveland State, with the Cleveland State Vikings. Professional career On 12 S ...

Ioannis Sioutis Ioannis Sioutis (alternate spelling: Giannis) (; born July 27, 1973) is a Greek retired professional basketball player and current assistant coach, most recently for AEK Athens of the Greek Basket League, under head coach Ilias Kantzouris. He has ...

* Dimitrios Tsarouchas * Kyriakos Vidas * Anatoly Zourpenko *

Brett Eppehimer Brett Eppehimer (born May 28, 1976, in Pottstown, Pennsylvania) is an American-Italian former NCAA Division I and professional basketball player. College career Eppehimer attended Lehigh University (1995–1999), in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, where ...

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* Kyle Johnson *

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Harding Nana Harding Ngueyep Nana (born January 17, 1981) is a Cameroonian professional basketball player currently playing as a power forward for Swiss Central of the Swiss Basketball League. He is also a member of the Cameroon national basketball team. C ...

Riste Stefanov Riste Stefanov (born August 30, 1983) is a Macedonian former basketball player. Pro career Stefanov began his career with KK Tikveš's juniors. He made his debut with KK Tikveš during the 1999–00 season and was signed for the 2000–01 seaso ...

Miroslav Todić Miroslav Todić (born 6 January 1985) is a Bosnian professional basketball player who last played for S.L. Benfica of the Portuguese basketball League. Professional career Todić played in several European leagues first in Slovenia, then Germany ...

* Jimmy Baxter *

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Tyrone Grant Tyrone Jeremy Grant (born January 24, 1977) is an American former professional basketball player and now CEO of Team First Inc as well as Wave Holistic Health. At a height of 2.02 m (6'7 ") tall, he played at the small forward and Power forward (b ...

Othello Hunter Tegba Othello Hunter (born May 28, 1986) is an American-Liberian former professional basketball player. Standing at , he played at the Center (basketball), center position. Hunter played four seasons of college basketball including two seasons fo ...

* Art Long *

Dominique Morrison Dominique Montel Morrison (born November 29, 1989) is an American professional basketball player for the Centauros de Portuguesa of the Venezuelan SuperLiga. As a college player, he was the 2012 The Summit League Men's Basketball Player of the Year ...

* Brent Petway *

Head coaches

References

External links

Ilysiakos B.C. - Official Website

Eurobasket.com Team Page
{{C Ethniki HEBA Basketball teams established in 1968 Basketball teams in Greece