Jeff Taylor has been covering European basketball since 1997, when he first worked on the television program SLAM. He has been a basketball writer and broadcaster since that time, traveling the continent and covering the game in depth for FIBA Europe since its launch in 2003.

Their punches in that period were every bit as hard as the ones normally thrown by Greek basketball's more famous institutions, Panathinaikos and Olympiacos.

Coming off an unbeaten January in Greece's top flight, Maroussi let everyone know they mean business by upsetting Panathinaikos 80-78 in the Euroleague Top 16 on Thursday and then overcoming Olympiacos 82-74 on Sunday.

In the second triumph, the win over the Reds, there was a touch of irony.

Maroussi coach Georgios Bartzokas beat his former boss, Panagiotis Yannakis.

Bartzokas served as an assistant to Yannakis at Maroussi in the 2005-6 campaign.

Yannakis is now in his third season at Olympiacos.

So what's going on? Has Maroussi found its mojo?

Maroussi were better against Panathinaikos, who ultimately couldn't overcome the three-point shooting of Billy Keys and Pat Calathes.

Bartzokas' players also defended tenaciously.

On Sunday, Olympiacos couldn't do anything with Kostas Kaimakoglou - the MVP of the month of January in Greece who could very well be on his way to the same honor for February.

The Greece international had 19 points, including a two-of-three night from long range, along with eight rebounds, three assists and two steals.

A beast down low, the 2.04m Kaimakoglou drew fouls and sank five of six free-throws.

The key stretch in the game came late in the third quarter.

Linas Kleiza had buried a three to put Olympiacos on top at 51-50 but Maroussi replied with a 6-0 run.

Dimitrios Mavroeidis, Michalis Pelekanos and Jamon Lucas each had baskets in the spurt.

The coffee men stayed in front the rest of the way.

So what it is to be made of this result?

For Olympiacos, it is reassuring to have Yannakis at the helm.

He has never gotten too carried away with his wins, and he's never overreacted to setbacks.

"I think something good may come out of today's defeat," he said.

Bartzokas, like Yannakis, is part philosopher, part coach.

After crediting his team's defense for the win, Bartzokas warned: "If you believe that you have reached the ceiling, then I think you're done."

In other words, his players better keep working hard.

"The way we approach it," Bartzokas said, "we want to remember successes and failures."

Maroussi are in a very strong position at 13-2 - level with Olympiacos and a game behind Panathinaikos.

Bartzokas says success is related to hard work, but it does seem like they've found a mojo.

If they can keep hold of it, who knows?

Maybe Maroussi are going to push the traditional heavyweights hard for the remainder of the season.