Panathinaikos faced a home defeat to Valencia in views of Euroleague day 6, final score 69-73, in a down to the wire encounter, ultimately defined in the clutch.
Teams went neck in neck throughout the greatest part of the clash. Neither team seemed to be able to step away from its rival. Panathinaikos might have reached to greater distances in comparison with its guests’ accumulations, however it was unable to maintain them, allowing the Spaniards to creep up and pose a measurable threat. The greens led by 8-4 (3’10’’), trailed a little later though (9-11 at 5’20’’ and 13-16 at 7’), first quarter finding opposing counsels at perfect balance (22-22). First quarter scenario repeated itself when 32-48 (13’40’’) became 32-34 (16’) and 34-38 (18’15’’) slightly prior to teams departing for the locker rooms at 39-37. Panathinaikos managed to get up by 7, game recommencing (46-39, 22’10’’) behind a three off Stratos Perperoglou. An injury suffered to the face of Dimitris Diamantidis turned out to be trivial at 20’20’’, team cap getting back to action at 24’. Valencia though presenting feisty defense and exploiting every retrieved rebound plus every clover turnover cut the trail back down to 2 (50-48, 26’30’’), Obradovic watched as his boys created a 6 point cushion (54-48, 28’40’’), but also as Kostas Tsartsaris got charged with his 4th personal foul. All this before Romain Sato heaved his team to 9 points an edge (57-48, 29’10’’).
Still though the Spanish team lurked around and with leading men De Colo-Claver they performed a come-back behind a sweet 7-0 run to 57-55 (32’25’’), the latter mentioned player picking up the slack to a single point (59-58, 33’15’’). A pair of shots from the line by Diamantidis flexed the score to (61-58), Omar Cook answered to 61-60 (37’10’’), after a Panathinaikos turnover, mistake number 15 of the eve next committed, to re-introduce the Spaniards with ball possession in the succeeding play; Martinez to the charity line to mark score 61-62, 2’15’’ pending on the game clock. Antonis Fotsis drained a three to get the greens to 64-62 at 38’, De Colo tied (64-64, 38’40’’) and then presented his team with the game reigns scoring yet again in the next play (64-66, 39’19’’). A pair of missed threes from Sato and Nicholas plus a lay-up at the other end of the court behind Savanovic got the score board reading 64-68, 29’’ left on the floor. Clover captain stepped up once more to drill a trifecta to 67-68 (39’35’’). Cook made both awarded free throws to 67-70, 22’’ left. Batiste copied his opponent to 69-70, 19’’ remaining. Cook went 1-for-2 to 69-71, 15’’7 left on the game clock. A turnover, 1’’6 left, set the ball in Spanish hands. Before any time could elapse Diamantidis fouled De Colo, the latter getting both charity shots into validity, curtains falling in the matchup, final score 69-73.
Referees: Sutulovic (MNE), Lottermoser (GER), Sabetta (ITA)
Quarters: 22-22, 39-37, 57-48, 69-73
Panathinaikos (Obradovic): Tepic, Perperoglou 11, Batiste 9, Fotsis 4, Sato 19, Nicholas 3, Tsartsaris 4, Diamantidis 10, Vougioukas 4, Clathes 5, Kaimakoglou
Valencia (Pesic): Cook 8, Richardson 7, Claver 12, Simeon, Lishchuk 9, Martinez 7, Pietrus 2, Savanovic 12, De Colo 14, Javtokas 2
*Panathinaikos competed without the services of Aleks Maric, who underwent surgery to the elbow of his right arm (distraction of a cyst). His spot on the roster was covered by Yorgos Bogris.
*At 13’40’’, Drew Nicholas set himself alone at 10th spot of the respective list of the players with the most three-pointers. Up to day last he stood side by side with Ibrahim Kutluay. Nicholas got up to 229 threes. Panathinaikos’s American guard sits one position lower than Igor Rakosevic (249).
Game No 500
A video featuring snapshots of the 5 European championships Panathinaikos had conquered, but also fire-works that lit up the number 500, reminded to all that this evening’s game was the clovers 500th game in Europe. Friends of the team that were in the fans’ stands were given 500 gifts.
Special Olympics
Euroleague for the second year in a row reaches out to join forces with Special Olympics. A team of children was present on the court, took photographs and stepped on the floor. The game was dedicated to this none-funds tournament, players wearing t-shirt made especially for the occasion. Kostas Tsartsaris, Panathinaikos’s oldest player was he who welcomed the kids: “I am proud that we show our compassion to the athletes of the Special Olympics and I invite everyone to join the action of the Special Olympics in basketball”.
Lukia, one of the children that love basketball and was in the OAKA indoor stadium stressed: “Basketball is my favorite sport. We wanted to practice more and become better players. We thank basketball, Euroleague and thank you Special Olympics”.
