Panathinaikos downed Kolossos Rhodes by 102-71 in the second OPAP BasketLeague playoffs semifinal and took the series to 2-0. It is just one victory away from the finals’ series.
The two teams “showdown” only lasted a few minutes. A score of 9-8 (5’) turned to 21-10 (7’) and from that point on Panathinaikos got a safe lead, maintained it and gradually increased it. The “Greens” picked up the pace, pressed in offense, and after a score of 28-20 in the first quarter they reached an eighteen-point lead at halftime (51-33). Zeljko Obradovic tried out different line ups, spread out participation time, and put Pat Calathes in the game too in the second half, substituting Mike Batiste (who sustained an injury) in the lineup. Panathinaikos came up with solutions from many different players who succeeded Sarunas Jasikevicius in his very good performance in offense (14 points in the first 25’). The lead rose to +20 points (56-36) by a three-pointer from Dimitris Diamantidis by 21’40’’ and to +30 points by Logan (72-42, 28’18’’). The fourth quarter went by much in the same pace, the margin between the two teams stretched a bit further (86-55, 35’), reached a 34-point lead by Kaimakoglou (95-61, 38’20’’) and Maric (97-63, 38’50’’), only for Pat Calathes to turn the score to 101-71 (39’51’’) and mark the final score of 102-71 by a free throw.
The two teams will face each other next at Venetokleion in Rhodes on Saturday as scheduled.
Referees: Koromilas, Stamatopoulos, PoursanidisΚ.
By quarter: 28-20, 51-33, 72-46, 102-71
Panathinaikos (Obradovic): Maric 16, Perperoglou 8, Logan 9, Sato 8, Calathes P. 12, Tsartsaris, Diamantidis 10, Vougioukas 6, Calathes N. 4, Smith 11, Kaimakoglou 4, Jasikevicius 14
Kolossos Rhodes (Fragkias): Liakopoulos, Hatten 17, Kalaitzis 2, Panos 4, Georgalis 6, Asimakopoulos 5, Boykin 2, Harissis 13, Tsamis 13, Hopson 9
