Without losing the initiative at any point during the game, Panathinaikos prevailed over Olympiakos by 74 – 70 at the OAKA indoors arena, with the significant support of its fans from the first to the last second of the game.
From the very first minute into the game, Panathinaikos had the initiative. A quick 5-0 run gave the impetus to both the team and the fans needed, with the team from Piraeus scoring for the first time at 3’45’’ (7-2). The pressure applied by the “Greens” was high, with Romain Sato leading the score to +10 (16-6, 8’33’’), and the visiting team reaching a double-digit score at the end of the quarter (16-11).
Returning on court, Dusan Ivkovic’s players tried to cut the margin. With Giorgos Printezis getting some offenses, they reduced the score difference, coming as close as 18-17 (11’30’’). Panathinaikos, however, had the answers with every player doing all that needed be done on court, and all the players being particularly aggressive in defense. Steals, pressure on the ball, blocks, dives on court, all helped make a 6- run 6-0 (24-17, 12’40’’) and stretch the gap to +13 points (39-26 at 19’17’’ and 41-28 at 19’40’’), before half-time ended with the score at 41-30.
Dimitris Diamantidis showed the way ahead by sinking in a three-pointer that stretched the score difference even further, to +14 points (44-40, 20’20’’), but the game was not over yet. Panathinaikos’ opponents kept striving, and closed the gap down to three points (47-44, 26’30’’). A three-points shot and two free throws by Romain Sato restored a “safer” lead to the “Greens”, who had the initiative either way as to the moves to be made on court (52-44, 27’10’’). A three-pointer by Kostas Kaimakoglou gave a nine-point lead (57-48, 29’10’’), before the third quarter buzzer was heard with the score at 57-50.
Panathinaikos’ dominion was obvious during the fourth quarter too. Despite the fact that the visiting team made the most of some turnovers on the part of the “Greens” the only thing they managed to do was still to just come close to the score, without however threatening to take the lead. At 36’40’’ the margin was stretched to a thirteen-point lead (72-59, 36’40’’), they closed the gap to four points with a three-pointer by Gecevicius, with the game finally ending with the score at 74-70.
Referees: Xristodoulou, Gontas, Sxinas
By quarter: 16-11, 41-30, 57-50, 74-70
Panathinaikos (Obradovic): Maric 4, Batiste 3, Logan 4, Sato 10, Diamantidis 15 (8 assists, 3 steals), Vougioukas 10, Calathes Ν. 10 (4 steals), Smith 3 (10 rebounds), Kaimakoglou 7, Jasikevicius 8
Olympiakos (Ivkovic): Hines 8, Lucas 7, Antic 9, Spanoulis 14, Keselj 2, Pelekanos, Papadopoulos 8, Gecevicius 2, Glyniadakis 2, Printezis 18, Papanikolaou, Katsivelis
