Panathinaikos tried, performed for quite some time behind the basketball it aspires towards but in the end Real Madrid snatched the win by 85-78 at the Palacios de los Deportes for the Euroleague premiere.
The first few minutes coming off tip-off bared quite some distance from what Panathinaikos would have hoped to provide as an image out on court. And up to a certain extent it was justified. Real Madrid in front of its fans stepped out performing at high velocity level which anyhow is an element that characterizes it as a team, it exploited three-point shots and the result was it to lead. Initially through an 8-0 run (1’50’’), then by double digits (12-2 at 4’20’’, 14-4 at 5’) only to fly ahead by 13 (19-6, 6’). Around this point is where Panathinaikos seemed to snap out of it. A 12-0 run with go-to-guys Diamantidis, Schortsanitis and Tsartsaris aided it in managing to pick up the trail to 1 (19-18, 8’53’’).It measured up to Real (22-22 at 10’20’’, 24-24 at 11’50’’), only for Kostas Tsartsaris to provide the lead to his team for the first time (24-26, 12’45’’).Pace was all greens’ game, who flexed 13’, 26-26 score to a 35-44 half time score board reading.
Real Madrid stepped out on the floor for the second half to perform behind a feisty Mirotic who led the Spanish to 48-46 (25’20’’)and then on to 52-48(26’42’’). Panathinaikos though still managed to establish solutions man of the hour Sofoklis Schortsanitis. Tsartsaris yet again set his team in leading position drilling a three(57-58, 29’15’’), Bramos upped the ante to +4 (61-65, 31’12’’), but from this point forward the home-team had first say. They climbed to a +7 advantage (78-71, 36’30’’), Panathinaikos tried to pick up the slack, got to 82-78 (39’20’’), alas though the Spanish came out victorious by final score 85-78. Turnovers (20) committed by the greens but also fouls awarded to Schortsanitis, Tsartsaris and Panko where defining factors for the game’s final play-out.
Referees: Pukl, Sahin, Latisevs
Quarters: 22-20, 35-44, 59-60, 85-78
Real Madrid (Laso): Draper 4, Fernandez 25, Pocius, Suarez, Reyes, Mirotic 18, Rodriguez 4, Begic 2, Carroll 7, Llull 15, Slaughter 8
Panathinaikos (Pedoulakis): Bramos 8, Panko 10, Maciulis 6, Armstrong, Ukic 6, Tsartsaris 10, Diamantidis 13, Kitchen 2, Scordilis, Schortsanitis 23
