Panathinaikos took the lead in the clash from the very beginning to ultimately down Apollon Patras at the OAKA arena by 91-60 for Basket League OPAP game 11.
Players as much as technical staff have often stated their wish to start off the games aggressively. Today they did not leave it in theory. They started out as the better opponent on court (6-0, 1’37’’) and inserted an immediate response when Apollon tried to pick up its slack (8-5 at 3’, 10-7 at 3’40’’). 4 points behind Xanthopoulos, 2 off Gist and a two-pointer off Schortsanitis led to 18-7 (7’20’’) and essentially from this point forward the Greens failed to look back.
Efforts in defense, pressure on the ball at every play and at every spot inbounds, aggressiveness and pace enforced all offered Panathinaikos ideal conditions in order to gradually form and then further expand the gap, gap to reach largest price at half-time buzzer, distance between opponents on court remaining at approximately 20 points, 58-35 score to seal the deal of 20 minutes played.
The ante was upped even more amongst opposing teams during third quarter when a pair of triples drilled by Maciulis and Ukic shot the lead up to 30 points an advantage (65-35, 24’) slightly later the clover to manage to get its lead up to +31, a three this time drained by Vassilis Xanthopoulos (72-41, 28’15’’). Schortsanitis made sure that aforementioned lead would seal third quarter (76-45). Panathinaikos’ big-man then led to +33 an edge, game recommencing for fourth quarter (78-45, 30’20’’), a pair of free throws made by Charis Giannopoulos to get the Greens ahead by 34 (86-52, 33’35’’).Curtains fell for the eve, final score of the match-up 91-60.
Referees: Tavoulareas, Mitsopoulos, Ksenikakis
Quarters: 28-14, 58-35, 76-45, 91-60
Panathinaikos (Pedoulakis): Schortsanitis 14 , Bramos 4, Maciulis 8, Kapono 12, Ukic 13, Lasme 14, Tsartsaris 5, Gist 12, Xanthopoulos 7, Giannopoulos 2, Charalampopoulos, Skordilis
Apollon P (Vetoulas): McCollum 22, Argyropoulos 7, Kaperonis, Grant 8, Thanopoulos, Lianos 2, Petrovic 1, Liberis 3, Klaiber 15, Molfetas 2, Turner, Krolo
