In Episode 2 of “The Lost Tapes – Mundobasket Edition”, powered by Stoiximan, Giorgos Sigalas and Aggelos Koronios take us on another captivating journey as they sit down with Vassilis Skountis to reminisce about the electrifying 1998 FIBA World Championship held in Athens, sharing not only exhilarating highlights from their illustrious careers with the Greek National team but also providing unparalleled insights into the strategies, emotions, and camaraderie that defined that momentous tournament that featured an American national team roster consisting of professional basketball players playing in Europe due to the NBA lockout and Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (FR Yugoslavia) winning the tournament with MVP Dejan Bodiroga leading the plavi!
Watch the full interview here:
Giorgos Sigalas was one of the best European defensive players of his generation. During the decade of the 1990s, he was the team captain of Greek powerhouse Olympiacos B.C. and also of the senior Greek national team, helping the reds win a EuroLeague title in 1997, while making two more EuroLeague Finals appearances, in 1994 and 1995.
A member of the junior national teams of Greece, he played at the 1990 FIBA Europe Under-18 Championship, and at the 1992 FIBA Europe Under-20 Championship, where he won a silver medal.
With the senior Greek national team, he competed in six consecutive EuroBasket tournaments, (1993, 1995, 1997, 1999, 2001, and 2003), and he made it to the semifinals on the first three occasions. He was also instrumental on the Greek teams that made the semifinals of both the 1994 FIBA World Championship and the 1998 FIBA World Championship, as well as on Greece’s team that finished in fifth place at the 1996 Summer Olympic Games.
His many accolades include the following:
- 5× consecutive Greek League Champion: (1993–1997)
- 5× consecutive Greek League Finals MVP: (1993–1997)
- 2× Greek Cup Winner: (1994, 1997)
- 7× Greek All-Star Game: (1994, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2001, 2002)
- EuroLeague All-Final Four Team: (1994)
- FIBA European Selection: (1995)
- FIBA EuroStar: (1996)
- Greek League MVP: (1996)
- EuroLeague Champion: (1997)
- Triple Crown Winner: (1997)
- Acropolis Tournament MVP: (1999)
Aggelos Koronios meanwhile is the all-time leader in 3-points made in the Greek Basketball Championship Alpha 1 era (with 828), fourth in assists made with 1264 and the 6th all-time leading scorer with 7080! Born in Athens, Greece, he started playing club basketball with the youth clubs of Peristeri Athens in 1982 and began his pro career with the senior men’s team of Peristeri, in 1986. In 1998, he moved to the Greek club AEK Athens, where he played for two seasons, while he continued his career with the Greek clubs PAOK B.C. (2000–01), Maroussi B.C., (2001–03), Panionios B.C. (2003–04), and finally, with Olympiacos Piraeus (2004–05). At the time of his retirement, Koronios was the unofficial all-time stats leader of the Greek Basket League, since the 1986–87 season in points scored, with 7,080, in assists, with 1,264, in steals, with 583, in free throws made, with 2,020, and in three pointers made, with 828 in 448 games in the top-tier level league of Greek basketball. He was also a member of the senior Greek national basketball team, playing at the 1992 FIBA European Olympic Qualifying Tournament, at the 1997 FIBA EuroBasket, at the 1998 FIBA World Championship, and at the 1999 FIBA EuroBasket. He also won a silver medal at the 1991 Mediterranean Games.
His many accolades include the following:
- 5× Greek League All-Star: (1994 I, 1996 I, 1996 II, 1997, 1999)
- Greek Cup Winner: (2000)
- FIBA Saporta Cup Champion: (2000)
- EuroLeague MVP of the Round: (Playoffs – Eighth-finals Game 3; 2000–01)
- Greek All-Star Game 3 Point Shootout Contest Champion: (2004)
- Member of the Greek Basket League Hall of Fame, inducted as a player.
- Greek national team 1991 Mediterranean Games: Silver medal
Stay tuned for more episodes of “The Lost Tapes – Mundobasket Edition” coming soon…!
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