OAKA will host the 2013-14 Basket League OPAP champion. Panathinaikos fought back at SEF, got the win sealed with the final 65-67, tied the series and now the Greens want to win at home on Wednesday in order to get the title, next to its fans!
Panathinaikos got into the game ready to give everything in order to get the positive result. It was something more than obvious since the tip off. In defense and in offense, searching for solutions with a clear mind and trying to take advantage of everything the opponent would give in order to get to an easy basket. Dimitris Diamantidis was the one to give the signal, Stephane Lasme followed and more players joined in... Gist, Ukic, Maciulis, all in the starting five were there in every step of the way. After leading 0-4 (1'10''), Olympiacos got ahead (9-7 3'15'' and 14-11 6'45''). James Gist and Loukas Mavrokefalidis stepped up to lead 14-17 (8').
Greens enforced their game in the third quarter. They used an 11-0 to lead from 16-17 (8'32'') to 16-28 (12'30''). A... secret weapon named Vladimir Jankovic stepped onto the floor ready. He gave energy, solutions and helped Panathinaikos to get a +13 deficit (17-30 and 19-32). The home team replied with a 5-0 (24-32, 15'50''). Maciulis, Diamantidis, Lasme and Curry helped the Greens to lead by 13 at the half time (30-43). The home team tried for another comeback. Maciulis made it to 32-45 (22'45''), Olympiacos cut the deficit to 10 points (35-45, 23'30''), but Panathinaikos responded to lead by 14 (35-49, 25'45''). But nothing was over. The lead was cut to 6 points (43-49 (27'20'') as Olympiacos after being 0/8 behind the arc, was 3/6 in the first 7'20'' of the second half. Greens responded the same way with Fotsis and Diamantidis (43-55, 28'15''), while Lasme made again a 12 point game scoring in... fog (45-57, 30').
Greens continued to lead in the first quarters. Lasme and Maciulis kept the distance in 13 points (53-66, 36'25''), but the home team made its comeback to cut the lead to three points (63-66) with 24'' on the clock. Gist went to the line, missed both shots, but he blocked Sloukas' shot with 10'' on the clock. Sloukas made in an one point game from the inbound pass (65-66) at 8''8. Lasme was fouled, he made 1/2 free throws to seal the final 65-67 and the victory.
Referees: Anastopoulos, Karakatsounis, Panagiotou
Quarters: 16-19, 30-43, 45-57, 65-67
Olympiacos (Bartzokas): Petway, Dunston 15, Spanoulis 1, Perperoglou 4, Sloukas 11, Collins 5, Simmons 4, Lojeski 14, Printezis 11, Mantzaris
Panathinaikos (Alvertis): Bramos, Curry 2 (2st), Fotsis 3, Ukic, Lasme 17 (9reb), Mavrokefalidis 10, Diamantidis 13 (6a), Gist 5, Jankovic 8, Wright, Maciulis 9 (6r, 2 st)
