For the fifth consecutive time Panathinaikos triumphed in the Greek Cup Final featuring Dimitris Diamantidis raising his first trophy as the “clover’s” captain, in an encounter where he was the protagonist since he came up top scorer and was named MVP (16pts, 8rbs, 5as) leading to a final 80-70 prevailing score across from Olympiakos at the indoor stadium of Elliniko.
It was a down to the wire game, both teams switching places at leading, Panathinaikos though presenting itself more determent in the later to be seen as the game giver quarter thus the last. The “greens” got off to a more powerful begging in the game, led even by 9 points (6-15, 7’), things evening out and Olympiakos snatching the lead for the first time at 12’40’’ (20-19). The “clover” got away again (24-31, 16’40’’) but further came up against its opponent’s resist, who even mounted a +5 advantage (47-42, 25’35’’). It seemed as though a tug-a-war was at hand but matters eventually fell towards the usual suspect’s side: Panathinaikos’.
Dimitris Diamantidis undertook the role of his team’s go-to-guy. His teammates created the necessary conditions; he dominantly requested the ball and marked frontcourt action with his personal signature. At 34’50’’ the score was 64-63 for the “hosts” but from that moment on and all the way up to 37’ Panathinaikos’ captain sunk three back to back trifectas, Batiste and Spanoulis followed his lead and the game had unofficially ended round about 38’25’’, the “green” edge going into to double digit figures (65-76) and a party being fired up in the “clover’s” fans barracks of the stadium until the final 80-70 that turned yet another cup green! The 12th cup in Panathinaikos’ history, its 46th trophy in total!
Referees: Voreadis – Zavlanos – Koromilas Il.
Quarters: 13-16, 30-32, 53-53, 70-80
Olympiakos (Giannakis): Papaloukas 13, Pelekanos, Vujcic 4, Milosevic, Bourousis 10, Halperin 3, Greer 11, Pargo 7, Vasilopoulos 8, Schortsanitis 3, Printezis, Erceg 2
Panathinaikos (Obradovic): Spanoulis 9, Perperoglou 9, Batiste 12, Fotsis 13, Hatzivrettas, Nicholas 6, Tsartsaris, Diamantidis 16, Pekovic 5, Jasikevicius 10
