The wait is over for basketball fans in Australia with tickets for the Pavlos Giannakopoulos Tournament – being held outside of Europe for the first time – officially on sale at 12pm AEST.
The Hungry Jack’s NBL has pulled off an incredible coup, bringing Panathinaikos and KK Partizan to Australia in September for an unforgettable showdown with the Sydney Kings and Adelaide 36ers.
The event begins with a clash between Panathinaikos and KK Partizan on Thursday, September 18, in Melbourne at John Cain Arena, before the action heads to Sydney for a four-team tournament at Qudos Bank Arena on Sunday, September 21, and Monday, September 22.
Fans will have the rare opportunity to witness two of Europe’s powerhouses on Australian soil in an event not to be missed.
“This is a landmark moment for the NBL and basketball in Australia. The passion these will bring is unmatched, and the atmosphere is going to be electric. We’ve had unprecedented interest since announcing the event a few weeks ago, and we expect these tickets to sell fast,” NBL Director, Nikola Milivojevic said.
“We’re proud to bring this world-class event to Australia. It’s a sign of the NBL’s growth globally and the power of international collaboration in basketball.”
President of Panathinaikos AKTOR BC, Vassilis Parthenopoulos said, “It is a great honour for Panathinaikos to participate in this historic event and to bring the spirit of European basketball to Australia.”
“This tournament carries the name of Pavlos Giannakopoulos, a visionary leader and the heart of Panathinaikos for decades. His passion, dedication, and values continue to guide us. We are proud to share his legacy with fans around the world and to connect with our passionate supporters in Australia. This is more than a tournament; it’s a celebration of basketball, heritage, and unity through sport,” Mr Parthenopoulos said.
President of KK Partizan, Ostoja Mijailovic said, “We are thrilled with a feedback we got from our fans and Serbian, or better say, Balkan community in Australia after the presentation of this tournament. September is closer then we think, and we are looking forward to play in Melbourne and Sydney.”
