LYNN ? Christos A. Zikos, the recipient of the 2008 George K. Mazareas Recognition Award, understands the honor of being associated with the Mazareas name as well as anyone.”We’ve been friends for close to 40 years,” Zikos said. “George was one of the fiercest competitors I’ve ever played with or against.”The two met at the age of 12 and began playing as teammates at 14, participating in city leagues in Boston.”We sort of leaned on each other, the two Greek boys,” Zikos said. “He was fun to play with. He always gave a 100-percent effort.”Zikos first participated in the Harry Agganis Tournament with Mazareas at the age of 16, and won five tournament championships as a player for the Boston Cathedral team.Since then, he has gone on to originate the high school division of the tournament, which first came to fruition in 1998.Zikos is the third recipient of the award that was named in tribute to his lifelong friend. Jimmy Pierrakos was given the honor in 2006, while Walter J. Makiej Jr. was the honoree in 2007.Mazareas, a Lynn native, is currently battling ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease. George and his wife, Cynthia, have worked with the Angel Fund in recent years to promote ALS awareness and raise money towards finding a cure.”He’s the most courageous guy I know,” Zikos said of Mazareas. “I wish, some way, we could bottle that (courage) and let other people know what it is.”Zikos, a native of Kokova, Greece, is the son of Antonios and Demetra (Tsiotos) Zikos. He moved to Winthrop in 1967 with his parents and his older brother, Gregory.Zikos was a four-sport athlete at Winthrop High School, where he was an all-conference selection in basketball, football and track and field. He was inducted into the Winthrop High School Hall of Fame in 2001.At the College of the Holy Cross, Zikos played football as a freshman and spent three years on the basketball team. His team appeared in the NIT basketball tournament once during his tenure.After graduation, the paths of Zikos and Mazareas crossed again while both were playing professional basketball in Greece.”Every step of the way we’d meet, and our friendship kept growing,” Zikos said. “It’s great to compete against a friend, although George is more like family.”As a player, Zikos was a guard, while Mazareas was a forward/center. Zikos described Mazareas as the most relentless defender and rebounder he ever played against.Zikos said that in the future, he hopes to expand the spectrum of the Agganis Tournament. This year, the high school division featured three teams from New York City; next year, it will include a team from Chicago.”We want to make this sort of a national high school tournament,” Zikos said. “That’s our goal.”Zikos said that being given the award is very gratifying and helps to remind him to persevere through some of the more difficult moments of his life.”I’m honored to be a recipient,” Zikos said. “I wish him the best and I hope he’s around for another 50 tournaments. I wouldn’t bet against George Mazareas.”