What an evening for Panathinaikos that managed to out stage Khimki at an away clash ultimately determined in OT. The final 87-82 score for game 7 of the Euroleague phase A’ emerged from the defending champs’ astounding performance who proceeded to unravel passion and mustered up heaps of guts to essentially bring the game back from the dead, since at 39’01’’ they were down by 7 and at 40’ + 5’ they were heading towards the locker rooms as the winners of the match-up!
The initial 0-4 for Panathinaikos was easily tilted. Khimki capitalized on great ball circulation without any haste squeezed into its efforts, got good range from long distance mainly behind attempts from Kelly McCarty to jog to an early 18-12 lead (7’). The clover’s improved backcourt coordination and function in the faces of Diamantidis, Spanoulis, Tepic, Tsartsaris and Batiste on the floor was the foundations for a green come-back. It went for a 7-0 run to create a guests’ cushion at 18-19, 9 minutes having elapsed on the clock. Home-team embarked on a counter-attack (23-21, 10’40’’), Panathinaikos having only swapped captain for Jasi and getting Spanoulis to put the pedal to the metal got composure and the way to mount to 23-29 (11’40’’) as Scariolo tried to respond by using the pair or Lopez and Cabezas. The Russians stepped up to exploit every turnover and more importantly to make use of even the slightest centimeter left unguarded by Zeljko Obradovic’s boys to get up by 40-36 at 17’45’’. Dynamic duo Fotsis and Vspan did not fail to input a response (40-40, 19’20’’) seeing on to intermission, standings at 40-42, Mike Batiste coming off a couple of shots from the line. A thorn in Panathinaikos’s agenda seemed to be big man Pekovic already in foul trouble since getting charged with his third personal at 17’.
Second half commenced identically as the first had ended. The American PF shooting from the charity line, good both times to 40-44 (20’10’’). But there was a heck of a ball game yet to be played out. Cabezas presented his team with a three-point edge (51-48, 23’), Spanoulis answered to 51-51 (23’40’’) and Batiste pulled a trifecta offense clock buzzer beater to bring the Russians within 3 points (51-54, 24’35’’). The Spanish guard had been appointed to leading his team at this time, however the greens always found a way to form a meek shadow to contain their opponents in trailing position, third quarter concluding at 57-59.
Panathinaikos stepped on court for quarter 4 in a Spanoulis, Nicholas, Tepic, Perperoglou and Shermadini mode. The prior mentioned penetrated the key twice to aid his team in climbing to +4 (59-63, 32’20’’), nevertheless Khimki had not yet decided to throw in the white towel and tied at 34’ (63-63). Pekovic and Fotsis back to action. Raul Lopez scored to up Khimki (65-63, 36’10’’) and Jankunas added to +5 (68-63, 37’20’’) as Cabezas at this very critical moment of the encounter cruised the home-team to a very predominant +7 advantage scoring to 70-63 at 38’.
Javtokas blocked a green attempt as only 1’45’’ was left on the game clock to make things almost impossible for Panathinaikos, Lithuanian big man only to score too in the succeeding offence to 72-65 (39’). Nicholas cut the trail with a pair of free throws (72-67, 39’35’’) and Spanoulis cashed in the awards of a beautiful last minute three-point-play to close the gap to a two point bucket (72-70), 13 excruciating seconds remaining. Panathaikos preferred to go for the fouling strategy and as opponents were not yet in the bonus category they committed one in no time whatsoever. Second inbounds attempt was conveyed erroneously, however the officials returned the ball to the home-team. Next committed foul sent Lopez to the line, Lopez went 1 for 2, score was at 73-70 and 6’’ were all that was pending on court. At 39’58’’ Spanoulis drew a foul. Obradovic gave clear directions and sent off into battle Fotsis-Pekovic-Batiste. All were in place and well aware of their individual missions. Spanoulis sunk free-throw number 1, missed the second and a double put-back attempt from groovy Fotsis finally sent the ball into validness. What a tie-breaker it was! Regular game 73-73, seeing on to over time drive. Key guard Span drilled a three to mark 73-76 as the game recommenced (41’), was copied by smooth operator Perperoglou next time the team revisited its frontcourt (75-79, 41’25’’) and Peko chipped in to 75-81 with a bunny of the bank at 42’. 42’40’’, score at 77-81, McCarty gets fouled out, Panathinaikos Montenegrin center going 2 for 2 at awarded charity shots to swoosh the clover up to 77-83. Perperoglou was as lucky from the line to make 77-85 at 43’30’’, was the culprit also of the 44’ score 78-87, Jankunas closing the score board action at the final 82-87.
Referees: Sutulovic (MNE), Garcia Ortiz (ESP), Latisevs (LAT)
Quarters: 20-21, 40-42, 57-59, 73-73 (RG), 82-87 (OT)
Khimki (Scariolo): Fridzoni 6, Toporov 3, Cabezas 17, Dimitriev, Jankunas 12, Kubanov, Javtokas 11, Lopez 3, McCarty 21, Mozgov 9
Panathinaikos (Obradovic): Tepic, Spanoulis 24 (6df), Perperoglou 7 (6 of.rbs.),
Batiste 15, Fotsis 12 (6rbs), Golemac, Nicholas 8, Tsartsaris 6, Diamantidis 2, Pekovic
13, Shermadini, Jasikevicius
* Nick Calathes was not included in the official line up. Khimki did not have Langford at its disposal, who presented some discomfort in the knee and it was decided that he not compete as to avoid any possibility of his situation getting worse.
*The team returns to Athens tomorrow noon.
