A single point was enough. A free throw by Dimitris Diamantidis was enough for Panathinaikos to conquer the Greek Cup. It was the 13th cup in its title-full history. The final score of 71-70 over Olympiakos in the Hellenikon indoors arena was the one that sealed the game and led the “Greens” to celebration frenzy!
In the first half of the game, Panathinaikos was the one that had the first say. It imposed its own ‘law’ from the very first minutes into the game and quickly got in the lead. The initial score of 2-0 (1’30’’), turned to 4-7 (3’40’’) and then to 6-7 (3’50’’) only to be followed by a 9-0 run by the “Greens” pushing them to a double-digit margin (6-16, 6’20’’). The margin “climbed up” to an eleven-point lead (8-19, 6’45’’), with the first quarter closing by 18-25. Upon returning on court, the “clover” led again the two-team race to take the score difference to a twelve-point lead (17-29, 10’48’’). The typically home team tried to get back into the game. They pushed more, made the most of some of Zeljko Obradovic’s players’ unsuccessful shots and some turnovers, with Zeljko Obradovic trying to find solutions from the bench. As a result, the score gap closed in to a minimum (33-34 at 17’30 and 35-36 at 19’08’’), before the first half of the game was concluded by 35-38.
Panathinaikos quickly lost the three-point lead, as the score turned into 40-38 (21’15’’) and then, as the game continued with the same tempo, into 58-45 (28’10’’). A three-pointer by Sarunas Jasikevicius and a slam-dunk by Ian Vougioukas who also drew a foul in his attempt “crunched down” the margin (58-51, 28’45’’) and then even further down to three points (58-55) upon the conclusion of the third quarter, with the Lithuanian bursting out full of passion!
The first minutes of the last quarter were similar to the first minutes of the third one. Panathinaikos found itself trailing behind in the score by 9 points (66-57, 31’30’’). However, the “Greens” made a comeback with Kostas Tsartsaris turning the score 68-66 (35’10’’) and Nick Calathes leading it to a tie (68-68, 37’10’’) after sinking in two free throws. Dimitris Diamantidis took over from him and going to the free-throw line again made the score 68-70 (37’48’’). Printezis was the one who tied the game again, but Panathinaikos’ captain succeeded in ½ throws from the same point again. This single successful throw was enough to sound the celebration bells for the “clover’s” fans. The final score of the game was 70-71 and bestowed upon Zeljko Obradovic and his players the title of Greek Cup Winners.
Referees: Christodoulou – Anastopoulos – Foufis
By quarter: 17-25, 35-38, 58-55, 70-71
Olympiakos (Ivkovic): Hines 11, Papanikolaou, Antic 13, Spanoulis 12, Mantzaris 2, Dorsey 2, Keselj 7, Gecevicius 2, Sloukas 4, Printezis 17
Panathinaikos (Obradovic): Maric 6, Perperoglou, Batiste 9, Logan, Sato 10, Tsartsaris 5, Diamantidis 9, Vougioukas 7, Calathes N. 7, Smith, Kaimakoglou 8, Jasikevicius 10
