Aris B.C.

Aris Basketball Club (Greek: Άρης K.A.E., transliterated into English Aris B.S.A.) known in European competitions as Aris Thessaloniki, is the professional basketball team of the major Thessaloniki-based Greek multi-sport club A.C. Aris Thessaloniki. Aris BC was founded in 1914. Their traditional home arena is Alexandreio Melathron (Nick Galis Hall). Aris B.C. is one of the most successful Greek basketball clubs of all time, tallying ten Greek League championships and eight Greek Cups, making the Double four times (1986–87, 1987–88, 1988–89, 1989–90). They have also won three European titles: the FIBA European Cup (1992–93), the FIBA Korać Cup (1996–97), and the FIBA Europe Champions Cup (2002–03). They are one of only two non-relegated teams from the Greek League, with participation in every Greek First Division Championship until today (the other team is Panathinaikos). Aris holds the record for the most consecutive wins in the Greek League, with 80 wins in a row. Before the arrival of Nikos Galis to Aris, and the first European successes of the team. Aris helped to establish basketball in Greece and to increase its popularity in the country. Under the leadership of Nikos Galis and Panagiotis Giannakis, Aris was a significant force in Greek basketball during the 1980s and early 1990s. It is for this period of dominance that Aris BC has been nicknamed "The Emperor", and was voted the most successful Greek sporting club of the 20th century. Aris is also one of the most renowned Greek clubs in European basketball, participating in three consecutive FIBA European Champions Cup Final Fours, and later on winning three lower-tier level European titles. This period also included winning the FIBA Korać Cup in the 1996–97 season. Notable players that have played with the club over the years include: Nikos Galis, Panagiotis Giannakis, Nikos Filippou, Lefteris Subotić, Miroslav Pecarski,...