Panathinaikos downed Ikaros Kallitheas by final 92-70 at the OAKA indoor arena for day 24 of the HEBA league.
Panathinaikos made the game an easy deal from tip-off. The greens started off behind a 7-0 run (1’40’’), climbed all the way up to 30-9 (9’), first quarter ending 32-10, Ikaros only getting into double digits point accumulation at 9’20’’ (30-10). Zeljko Obradovic watched his team keep up the same pace, regardless all the substitutions coach proceeded to commit, score gap reaching 28 points (40-12, 13’). Opponents headed to the locker rooms behind intermission score 53-28. The gap re-established itself at its 28 point marker (80-51, 32’45’’), Ikaros counteracting (82-62, 25’15’’). Game was evidently sealed at final game score 92-70.
Referees: Tavoulareas, Mitsopoulos, Kotsimpos
Quarters 32-10, 53-28, 73-48, 92-70
Panathinaikos (Obradovic): Tepic 11, Maric 9, Perperoglou 9, Batiste 4, Fotsis 12, Sato 6, Tsartsaris 9, Diamantidis 9, Vougioukas 6, Calathes 7, Kaimakoglou 8, Zoubos 2
Ikaros Kallitheas (Lykogiannis): Harris 18, Agadakos 2, Karaboulas 3, Polytarchou 3, Thompson 7, Kalabokis 14, Dziganovic 2, McAlarney 11, Kerassovitis 2, Petrodimopoulos 2, Krasic 4, Toutziarakis 2
PressConference
Zeljko Obradovic congratulated Ikaros Kallitheas for its presence in the encounter, but also his players for their maturity behind which they competed during the entire game.
“We performed yet another great game. We started off beautifully and the encounter was great because Ikaros competed very well. Even though the first quarter ended with a 20 point trail for them, again it proved to be a very mature team. I would like to congratulate my players also, because they too competed maturely. From this point forward our minds is on the game versus Olympiakos on Saturday”, Head Coach of Panathinaikos stated initially only to continue referring to Olympiakos: “Olympiakos at the same level of performance. It competed in 4 play-off games had the same days to rest. We play at the same time we did with Barcelona, at 21:45 and that is a good thing (laughing)”.
When questioned if the game on Saturday has the feeling of a final encounter for the clover, Obradovic noted: “Every game facing Olympiakos is important but it is not a final. We will certainly be playing finals. We will see who will have home-court advantage”.
Romain Sato stated: «It was an important game for us. We knew that Ikaros is a good team and a fighter. We brought about energy in order to face them. We know that from now on we must focus on the game with Olympiakos and tried to improve in every department”. As far as the game versus Olympiakos he added: “We expect to commit a better game than the one in the first round, since we were facing issues then. Now we lost Nicholas… We know its importance, since the home-court advantage is at stake. We will do the best we can in order to win it. I heard what happened in last year’s last final. It will be hard. Their fans will try to make it as hard as possible. What should not be interested in what happens outside, but should be focused on what happens inbounds, we must turn our coach’s words into actions”.
The Head Coach of Ikaros, Aris Lykogiannis, stressed: “Congratulations to Panathinaikos for their victory and all the best at the Final Four. The final score has exactly the same gap with the first quarter. Panathinaikos stepped out on court aggressively in order to preserve strengths. In the ensuing time we read the game, got to certain great plays, enjoyed ourselves. We hoped to close with a home win across from Iraklis and that is what we shall try to do”.
Ikaros player, Michalis Polytarchou stressed that “It was a great experience. We showed a great image for the two remaining games. I hope we end behind one or two wins. All teams at the OAKA across from Panathinaikos are intimidated, all the more for us, a young team. After the first quarter we improved”.
