In a stifling home-court with an amazing pulse Panathinaikos found itself at the driver’s seat from tip-off. Zeljko Obradovic chose to introduce his team to the encounter behind Calathes-Diamantidis-Sato-Tsartsaris-Vougioukas yet again as he had done at both other clashes in Barcelona. A pair of dunks off Batiste almost as the American Panathinaikos player set foot on court jogged the score to 11-4 (4’). Barcelona cut the trail down to a single point however (11-10, 7’40’’), same scenario playing out again score getting from 16-10 (9’37’’) to 16-17 (12’10’’). Response was immediate, the passion of the clover players dominating every play, in every movement. Dives to the floor were on the daily menu each and every player fighting for every ball in challenge, getting to 28-22 (16’40’’) behind a three off Perperoglou and slightly later the greens got up by 7 (33-26, 19’), half time finally resting at 33-29. Panathinaikos had managed to do a terrific job once more in a very important department, controlling the rhythm of the game through rebounding dominance (20-15).
The greens headed back out to battle to climb back up to +6 (35-29, 20’40’’), the guests getting to solutions from beyond the arc all the way up to 37-38 (22’). Tsartsaris joined forces with Batiste to strike back to 41-38 (23’10’’). The Catalans crept up to a single point a trail (41-40, 23’25’’) but still Panathinaikos was there to declare its presence. Drew Nicholas to the rescue, five consecutive points of the American guard to flex the score to 49-43 (26’). Mike Batiste flushed the ball again to cruise the clover ahead by 7 again (52-45, 28’36’’), to keep it in the same domain Romain Sato drilling a triple (55-48, 29’10’’), before the third quarter closed at 55-49. Barcelona tried to find a getaway plan off Morris’s long haul shot (57-55, 31’45’’), cut into the gap even further behind a trifecta from Lakovic (59-58, 32’29’’), Rubio copied his actions to 61-61 (33’20’’) and Ingles on a fast break (one of the very few Catalan ones) offer the visitors the lead (61-63, 33’40’’). Nicholas acting in compliance with his first name “drew” for the clover (63-63, 34’20’’), in the next offence the Spaniards committed a 24’’ violation and Tsartsaris from the line behind 1-for-2 free throws put Panathinaikos back on top (64-63, 35’15’’). Diamantidis chipped in to 65-63 from the line (35’50’’) and then some to 67-65 (37’). Romain Sato drained a three to start the cheering riots in the fans stands, score now at 70-65 (37’28’’). Navarro to move next, picking up the slack to a point (70-69, 38’10’’) off a two and a pair of shots from the line, Diamantidis though answering back to 72-69 (38’30’’). A majestic stop plus a steal from feisty Mike Batiste, both committed on Navarro held the clover steadyfast at +3. A Death Valley three missed its marker but Diamantidis picked up the defensive board at the other end of the court, 30’’ pending on the game clock. At 16’’7 before the buzzer the refs called travelling on Sato, 14’’6 Perperoglou led Anderson to the line to 72-71. Grimau fouled Diamantidis immediately (13’’4 prior to the end). In complete silence the captain of Panathinaikos was completely correct (74-71). 4’’ to go, Anderson cut the trail by penetrating to the clover basket (74-73), the Catalans through Rubio sending “Mitsos” once more to the charity stripe, 3’’3 left. Perfect for the captain again, score 76-73, only for the game to be continued once more at the free throw line, this time for Barcelona, Lakovic making free throw number one, missing the second one, game finally ending 76-74. Panathinaikos had just made one more step closer to the F4 in Barcleona.
Quarters: 16-13, 33-29, 55-49, 76-74
Referees: Ziemblicki (POL), Pukl (SLO), Rocha (POR)
Panathinaikos (Obradovic): Tepic, Maric, Perperoglou 3, Batiste 12, Fotsis 10, Sato 6, Nicholas 13, Tsartsaris 6, Diamantidis 18, Vougioukas 2, Calathes 6, Kaimakoglou
Barcelona (Pascual): Sada, Rubio 16, Lakovic 13, Navarro 9, Perovic, Vasquez 6, Ingles 2, Ndong 3, Morris 10, Lorbek 1, Anderson 12, Grimau 2
Obradovic: “Everybody must help”
Clearly pleased in Panathinaikos’s new great prevalence Zeljko Obradovic started off his statements in the after game press conference making reference to the fans’ presence. “In the press conference prior to the game I had requested the friends of the team to create a very good atmosphere for all Europe to whiteness that we love basketball. And I am proud of our fans, putting aside 2 or 3 times they used a laser light. We do not need that! And I plead them not to repeat it on Thursday. The help they offered us was substantial. The game was extremely hard. Little details defined the final result although we could have made the game a done deal earlier. But we made certain mistakes which I believe are only natural to be committed. Congratulations to my players but also to the Barcelona players. They are an exquisite team. Surely on Thursday it will be a whole different ball game. It will be a really tough game . It is a matter of life or death for Barcelona. We will tried to play great defense but our rivals are sure to do exactly the same thing. It will try our defenses it included in its game in this encounter. We are two great teams and we now know everything there is to about one another. We must use more players. Everybody must help. Offensively and defensively. They must be prepared for either a single second or more”.
Obradovic found logic in any nervousness that might have existed: “It is only natural. You are playing across from the champs whom everybody viewed to be the favorite to re-conquer the title. I am proud of all my players and all they have accomplished during these three games”. When questioned about Ricky Rubio’s defensive assignment, Obradovic stressed: “We faced not problem. We chose to gamble on his shot. We prefer he shoot than Navarro, Lakovic, Anderson or Morris. Maybe we will change it in the next game. He is a fabulous player, competing at a high level but all is part of the tactics”.
Barcelona Head Coach Xavi Pascual, marked: “Congratulations to Panathinaikos for their victory. It was a balanced out game once more. We had our chances to win, but failed to score certain shots committed without pressure. At the end, Sato’s three was defining because it offered Panathinaikos with the advantage towards victory. There is however a problem in this series of games for us, that being our low free throw stats. In this game we had approximately 60% in a game of the utmost importance. As we did also have trouble at the defensive rebound. These are important factors but we had better numbers today. I do not think that they defined the game. Now, Panathinaikos is certainly the teams with greater chance to secure the series. But we will exploit all the possibilities we have. I must say that the atmosphere was positive and Panathinaikos always enjoys the power of its fans. Such crowds make the game more attractive".
