Fedon Mattheou
Encyclopedia
Fedon Mattheou, also spelled Faidon Matthaiou and Phaedon Mathaiou (12 July 1924 – 17 September 2011) was a retired Greek
professional basketball
coach and basketball player. He was a center
and in the end of his career a play maker
and he wore the number 1 jersey throughout his career. He represented Greece twice at the Summer Olympics, as a rower in 1948 and as a basketball player in 1952.
in 1945. In 1949, he was transferred to Panathinaikos BC. He played as well with Panionios BC, Pallacanestro Varese
and Sporting BC
.
, as one of its leading members for 44 games, and he scored a total of 539 points (12.25 points per game). He also played in the very first official game of the Greek national squad
, which was played at the 1949 European Championship
. He was the team's leading scorer at that tournament with 66 points, while the Greek national team
also won the tournament's bronze medal. He participated as a player in 2 European Championship
tournaments, the 1949 European Championship
and the 1951 European Championship
, and also in the Olympic Basketball Tournament
of 1952.
at 3 European Championship
tournaments, the 1961 European Championship
, the 1965 European Championship
and the 1969 European Championship
. He also coached professional sport clubs of the Greek League
such as AEK Athens BC
, PAOK BC
, Olympiacos BC
and Peristeri BC
.
Fedon Mattheou is a member of the Greek Basketball Hall of Fame
and he is widely considered to be the Patriarch
of Greek basketball.
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
professional basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
coach and basketball player. He was a center
Center (basketball)
The center, colloquially known as the five or the post, is one of the standard positions in a regulation basketball game. The center is normally the tallest player on the team, and often has a great deal of strength and body mass as well...
and in the end of his career a play maker
Point guard
Point guard , also called the play maker or "the ball-handler", is one of the standard positions in a regulation basketball game. A point guard has perhaps the most specialized role of any position – essentially, he is expected to run the team's offense by controlling the ball and making sure that...
and he wore the number 1 jersey throughout his career. He represented Greece twice at the Summer Olympics, as a rower in 1948 and as a basketball player in 1952.
Pro playing career
He began playing professional basketball as well as many other sports, with Aris BCAris BC
Aris Basketball Club is the professional basketball team of the Thessaloniki-based Greek sport club Aris Thessaloniki. Aris BC was founded in 1922, eight years after the founding of Aris Thessaloniki....
in 1945. In 1949, he was transferred to Panathinaikos BC. He played as well with Panionios BC, Pallacanestro Varese
Pallacanestro Varese
-Notable players:-Notable coaches: Aleksandar Nikolić Nico Messina Sandro Gamba Edoardo Rusconi Joe Isaac Carlo Recalcati Valerio Bianchini Ruben Magnano-Sponsorship names:Through the years, due to sponsorship deals, it has been also known as:...
and Sporting BC
Sporting BC
A.O. Sporting Athens BC is a Greek professional basketball team that was founded in the year 1936. The team is located at Ano Patissia, Athens, Greece, at the area of Elia Zervou 81 and Sarantaporoy.-History:...
.
Greek national basketball team
Mattheou also played for the Greek national basketball teamGreece national basketball team
The Greece national basketball team is the representative for Greece in international men's basketball competitions, organized and run by the Hellenic Basketball Federation. Traditionally, Greece is considered among the world's top basketball powers; they were runners-up in the 2006 FIBA World...
, as one of its leading members for 44 games, and he scored a total of 539 points (12.25 points per game). He also played in the very first official game of the Greek national squad
Greece national basketball team
The Greece national basketball team is the representative for Greece in international men's basketball competitions, organized and run by the Hellenic Basketball Federation. Traditionally, Greece is considered among the world's top basketball powers; they were runners-up in the 2006 FIBA World...
, which was played at the 1949 European Championship
Eurobasket 1949
The 1949 European Basketball Championship, commonly called Eurobasket 1949, was the sixth regional championship held by FIBA Europe. Seven national teams affiliated with the International Basketball Federation took part in the competition...
. He was the team's leading scorer at that tournament with 66 points, while the Greek national team
Greece national basketball team
The Greece national basketball team is the representative for Greece in international men's basketball competitions, organized and run by the Hellenic Basketball Federation. Traditionally, Greece is considered among the world's top basketball powers; they were runners-up in the 2006 FIBA World...
also won the tournament's bronze medal. He participated as a player in 2 European Championship
Eurobasket
The EuroBasket, also referred to as the FIBA European Basketball Championship, is the main basketball competition contested biennially by the men's national teams governed by FIBA Europe, the European zone within the International Basketball Federation. The championship was first held in 1935 and...
tournaments, the 1949 European Championship
Eurobasket 1949
The 1949 European Basketball Championship, commonly called Eurobasket 1949, was the sixth regional championship held by FIBA Europe. Seven national teams affiliated with the International Basketball Federation took part in the competition...
and the 1951 European Championship
Eurobasket 1951
The 1951 European Basketball Championship, commonly called Eurobasket 1951, was the seventh regional championship held by FIBA Europe. Eighteen national teams affiliated with the International Basketball Federation entered the competition, a record number and more than twice the number that had...
, and also in the Olympic Basketball Tournament
Basketball at the 1952 Summer Olympics
Basketball at the 1952 Summer Olympics was the third appearance of the sport. 23 nations entered the competition.The top six teams at the 1948 Summer Olympics qualified automatically, as did the 1950 World Champion , the top two at the 1951 European championships , and the host country...
of 1952.
Coaching career
After his playing career ended, he coached the Greek national squadGreece national basketball team
The Greece national basketball team is the representative for Greece in international men's basketball competitions, organized and run by the Hellenic Basketball Federation. Traditionally, Greece is considered among the world's top basketball powers; they were runners-up in the 2006 FIBA World...
at 3 European Championship
Eurobasket
The EuroBasket, also referred to as the FIBA European Basketball Championship, is the main basketball competition contested biennially by the men's national teams governed by FIBA Europe, the European zone within the International Basketball Federation. The championship was first held in 1935 and...
tournaments, the 1961 European Championship
EuroBasket 1961
The 1961 European Basketball Championship, commonly called Eurobasket 1961, was the 12th regional championship held by FIBA Europe. Eighteen national teams affiliated with the International Basketball Federation entered the competition. The competition was hosted by Yugoslavia...
, the 1965 European Championship
EuroBasket 1965
-Venues:-Final rankings:# # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # First roundGroup A - MoscowGroup B - Tbilisi-Places 13 - 16:-Places 9 - 12:-Places 5 - 8:-Places 1 - 4:-Finals:-Team rosters:...
and the 1969 European Championship
EuroBasket 1969
-Final rankings:# # # # # # # # # # # # -Group A - Caserta:-Group B - Naples:-Places 9 - 12 in Naples:-Places 5 - 8 in Naples:-Places 1 - 4 in Naples:-Finals - all games in Naples:-Team rosters:...
. He also coached professional sport clubs of the Greek League
A1 Ethniki
The Greek Basket League , commonly referred to as the Greek Basketball League or Greek Basketball Championship, is the highest professional basketball league in Greece. It is run by HEBA...
such as AEK Athens BC
AEK Athens BC
AEK BC , the Athletic Union of Constantinople, is a Greek professional sports basketball club based in Athens, Greece. The club was established in Athens in 1924 by Greek refugees from Constantinople in the wake of the Greco-Turkish War ....
, PAOK BC
PAOK BC
P.A.O.K. Thessaloniki B.C. is the professional basketball department of the Greek multi-sports club P.A.O.K., originally founded in 1926 and is based in Thessaloniki, Greece. The club has established a firm reputation in Greek sports, especially for its success in European leagues...
, Olympiacos BC
Olympiacos BC
Olympiacos B.C. , also known simply as Olympiacos and Olympiacos Piraeus, is a Greek professional basketball club, part of Olympiacos CFP, based in Piraeus. The basketball club, founded in 1931, is one of the most successful in Greece and a traditional powerhouse in European competitions...
and Peristeri BC
Peristeri BC
Peristeri B.C. , is a Greek professional basketball club that was founded on October 22, 1971. The club is located in Peristeri, Greece, which is a suburban municipality of the city of Athens...
.
Fedon Mattheou is a member of the Greek Basketball Hall of Fame
Greek Basketball Hall of Fame
The Greek Basketball Hall of Fame is the sports hall of fame for professional basketball players and coaches that play and coach in the top professional basketball league of Greece, the Greek A1 League...
and he is widely considered to be the Patriarch
Patriarch
Originally a patriarch was a man who exercised autocratic authority as a pater familias over an extended family. The system of such rule of families by senior males is called patriarchy. This is a Greek word, a compound of πατριά , "lineage, descent", esp...
of Greek basketball.