Hosting the Euroleague trophy as the element to steal the show, the banners with the 6th European Championships being situated on the roof top of the OAKA arena, Panathinaikos putting the cherry on top by defeating PAOK 95-62, curtains fell for the first semifinal of the HEBA league.
Diamantidis and the 6th
The banners were set high… Panathinaikos’s 6th European Championship earned a spot on the OAKA roof top and the face of Dimitris Diamantidis, clover captain, player to seal this season’s Euroleague and the 2011 F4, is as of now set next to those of Obradovic, Alvertis, Bodiroga, brothers Yannakopoulos… All these witnessed by approximately 7,000 Panathinaikos friends, in views of a special show, organized by PAO BC and its marketing department, immensely applauded, making all the team’s friends proud for yet another occasion. As proud did the technical staff and the players make them slightly later, in bounds, turning the first semi of the HEBA play-offs into a stroll in the park.
On the floor
The guests tried to go for a dynamic opening managing actually to lead (4-7, 2’40’’). From this point forward though the clash turned into a one act show. Panathinaikos alone. A 16-0 run got the score board reading 20-7 (7’25’’) the greens never being threatened all the way down the stretch to the final buzzer. On the contrary the gap expanded continuously. It passed the 20 point marker at 13’ (34-13 behind a three drained by Nicholas), reached 30 points at 15’30’’ off Milenko Tepic nailing a 3-point-play (44-14), only for it to touch 40 for the first time at 35’ (87-47) praise to Aleks Maric. Tepic added to form a +44 cushion (93-49, 38’10’’), the largest gap of the matchup slightly prior to the deal to be sealed at final 95-52. However the fat lady had not yet sang on the floor. Game concluding, Dimitris Diamantidis took the Euroleague trophy into his arms from Pavlos and Thanassis Yannakopoulos, walked down onto to court where he was greeted by his teammates in the middle of the floor. All together formed a circle and razed the 6th European cup once more, this time at its home and in a general crowd cheer. Next rendezvous amongst the two teams is set for Saturday 21/05/2011, 19:15h at the Pylea indoor stadium.
Referees: Manos, Tavoulareas, Andrikopoulos
Quarters: 26-11, 55-23, 76-42, 95-52
Panathinaikos (Obradovic): Tepic 9, Maric 11, Perperoglou 4, Batiste 4, Fotsis 7, Sato 15, Nicholas 6, Tsartsaris 10, Diamantidis 4, Vougioukas 4, Calathes 14, Kaimakoglou 7
PAOK (Markopoulos): Christams 10, Apostolidis 4, Dozier 2, Stiggers 5, Buljan, Giannakidis 13, Kalles 8, Gecevski 8, Kalabakas 2
Vougioukas: «A leading-role team»
Ian Vougioukas stated after the end of the clash: “I believe that it was important for any friend of the team who could not get to Barcelona, to see the trophy here today. For me personally it was already very important since it is the first one I ever conquered. I believe we have the specifications as a team to lead in Europe and hope to do the best we can”
Frangiskos Alvertis stressed: “I came to Panathinaikos 22 years ago. All the things we see here now, the banners, the trophies are all the result of hard work and consistency. Success came through these. The team is built and condemned to lead in both Greece and Europe. Our effort is to be able to achieve every new goal we set year by year. And this is what we will continue doing”.
