Victory was of the essence, as every positive result counts on the road to conquering regular season first place in the Greek League. Victory was essential, as if obtained it would be number 1000 in the club’s history; And so it was thus against Panionios. Very impressively also, in an encounter that ended 79-50, stocked with great high-lights and great substance nevertheless. A game that more than compensated the fans, Zeljko & Co justifying the choice of all who decided to visit the OAKA arena the afternoon of February the 8th.
Room for resist was nowhere in sight. Panathinaikos enforced its law from minute 1 and never once looked back. After the opening 2-2 (1’), it ran a 13-0 streak (15-2 at 3’25’’) and from then on held on to the lead for the rest of the game. Panionios tried to react; it embarked on attempts to run the open field, since at a set game the “Green’s” defense was asphyxiating, leading it to make shots at the end of the 24 second offence time, never getting closer than 6 points (20-14 at 7’50’’) throughout the whole first half. From midway of the second quarter and thereafter the pace that coach Obradovic and the players wished to set in the game, was brought about in all its pomp and glory, the score margin ever broadening. Lead peaked to +20 primarily at 17’40’’ (49-29), only for intermission to find Panionios down by 28 points (60-32) and impressive Panathinaikos close to perfect stats in three-pointers, 10-out of-12! Moreover hosts prevailing 19-to-9 rebounds, 12-to-6 assists to their guests, two players already in double digit scoring numbers (Jasikevicius and Nicholas 11 points each). Partial score for the second quarter was 32-14 in favor of the “clover”.
Show time found its way into the encounter in a game that had been over long before the final buzzer. There was no question about the winner’s identity. Panathinaikos started to aim not only towards scoring but also towards thinking up inspired plays, reaching double score at 28’50’’ (76-38) and after third quarter completion (80-40). Obradovic had cleared off the bench already from part 1, had experimented in different player combinations once more but mostly had seen each guy he used enjoy playing-time whilst a small party had started amongst the viewers leering even players from the “Green” bench to turn in awe towards the chanting crowd. Panionios was without score from 29’10’’ until 34’20’’, saved behind a triple by Levon Kendall.
Panionios trailed even by 48 points (95-47, 37’50’’), the 50 point level being reached by the guests after 38 and half whole minutes on the official game clock and Panathinaikos mounting to win number 1000 in the first category of the Greek League (that being A’ national initially and later A1 Men’s National Category) with the final score 97-50.
Referees: Zavlanos – Tanatzis – Manos
Quarters: 28-18, 60-32, 80-40, 97-50
Panathinaikos (Obradovic): Kecman 3, Spanoulis 11, Perperoglou 4, Batiste 9, Fotsis 6, Hatzivrettas 11, Nicholas 16, Tsartsaris 2, Diamantidis 7, Pekovic 8, Sakota 9, Jasikevicius 11
Panionios (Trifunovic): Xanthopoulos 2, Cvetkovic 11, Zoroski 2, Georgallis, Kalampokis 7, Miles 7, Baxter 4, Kendall 11, Giannoulis 6
*Fragiskos Alvertis, Giorgi Shermadini and Dimitris Verginis were not included in the official roster.
*Panathinaikos BC’s host was the team Asteras ’80 from Aliveri in Evia, the young members of which gave a unique tone to the encounter.
* The final 47 point margin presented Panathinaikos with its greatest win ever against Panionios. The predeceasing largest win was +44 (101-57) at the fifth encounter of the semi final round games in the season 2004-05 play-offs.
Panathinaikos’ greatest victories in the Greek League
+60
+62 2006-07 Makedonikos-Panathinaikos 44-106
+50
+52 1999-00 Panathinaikos-Esperos 97-45
+40
+47 1994-95 Panathinaikos-Ampelokipoi 134-87
+47 2008-09 Panathinaikos-Panionios 97-50
+46 2005-06 Panathinaikos-Kolossos Rh. 112-66
+45 2006-07 Panathinaikos-Egaleo 101-56
+45 1992-93 Panathinaikos-Dafni 121-76
+44 2008-09 Panathinaikos-AE Larissas 102-58
+44 2007-08 Panathinaikos-Kolossos Rh. 105-61
+44 2004-05 Panathinaikos-Panionios 101-57
+42 1999-00 Esperos-Panathinaikos 53-95
+42 2006-07 Apollon P.-Panathinaikos 62-104
+41 1994-95 Panathinaikos-Apollon P. 120-79
+41 2007-08 Kolossos Rh.-Panathinaikos 65-106
+40 1986-87 Panathinaikos-Ionikos N. 121-81
