Etha Encomi held their nerve in a tense finish to beat Anorthosis Famagusta 67-64 in Cypriot Basketball Division A on October 20, 2026, closing the game with a late 6-2 run after Anorthosis had tied the score in the final two minutes.

Match overview

This was a low-scoring, defense-first contest in which neither team ever led by more than seven points. Anorthosis Famagusta started brightly in front of their home support, but Etha Encomi’s zone defense slowed the game down and forced the hosts into a series of contested perimeter shots.

• First quarter: Anorthosis Famagusta 18-17 Etha Encomi
• Second quarter: Anorthosis Famagusta 13-19 Etha Encomi
• Third quarter: Anorthosis Famagusta 16-14 Etha Encomi
• Fourth quarter: Anorthosis Famagusta 17-17 Etha Encomi
• Final: Anorthosis Famagusta 64-67 Etha Encomi

Etha led 36-31 at halftime and 50-47 after three quarters. Anorthosis fought back to tie the game at 62-62 with 1:40 remaining, but Etha executed better in the closing possessions and made the crucial free throws.

Key moments

With the score tied late, Etha Encomi ran a high pick-and-roll that forced Anorthosis to switch. Guard Marios Georgiou used the mismatch to knock down a step-back three-pointer, putting the visitors ahead 65-62. Anorthosis answered with a quick basket inside, but Etha drained two free throws on the next possession to restore a three-point cushion.

Anorthosis had one final chance to tie, but a contested three-pointer from the wing rimmed out. The rebound was secured by Etha, and the final buzzer confirmed a hard-earned road victory in the Cypriot Basketball Division A.

Tactical story

Etha’s 2-3 zone was the defining tactical feature of the game. It clogged the paint and encouraged Anorthosis to shoot from outside, where the hosts struggled all evening. Anorthosis finished with a low three-point percentage and rarely generated second-chance points, despite working hard on the offensive boards.

Offensively, Etha were patient. They moved the ball from side to side, attacked the short corner, and took advantage of Anorthosis’s overhelping in the middle of the zone. Their 15 assists reflected that patience, and their late-game execution was the difference in a game that could easily have gone either way.

Standout players

Marios Georgiou led Etha Encomi with 18 points, including the go-ahead three-pointer in the final two minutes. Nikos Pashalis added 12 points and seven rebounds, while Andreas Sizopoulos scored 17 for Anorthosis Famagusta. Christos Loizides chipped in 14 points for the hosts, but Anorthosis’s bench contributed only nine points, a statistic that underlined their late-game struggles.

Season impact

The result gives Etha Encomi an important early-season road win and valuable momentum in the Cypriot Basketball Division A standings. For Anorthosis Famagusta, it is a frustrating loss built on cold shooting and a handful of missed defensive assignments late. In a league where every possession can influence playoff positioning, Etha’s composure in the final 90 seconds stood out.