Panathinaikos edged PAOK 71-61 in a tough game at the OAKA indoor arena for Basket League OPAP game 13.
PAOK was the opponent to break away from tip-off more pleasingly, team to continue to threaten its host throughout the entire encounter. Teams went neck and neck through the clash’s first few minutes, the Greens bringing their rivals within 3 points (13-10, 7’12’’), struggling to establish a pace to provide them with first say over matters on court. At this point however, the away team nailed 10 unanswered points, feeding the ball close to the bucket getting the score board reading 13-20, first quarter score.
Panathinaikos answered back with a swift 6-0 run (19-20, 11’50’’). PAOK though reinvented a method of counteraction; go-to-guy of the effort Haritopoulos who was performing behind 2-for-3 threes, aiding towards 22-31 (14’50’’) and slightly later to 24-33 (16’). The clover players’ competitiveness with a lay-out which hosted Jonas Maciulis at PF position offered solutions and aided towards both teams to head to the locker rooms tied at 35-35 praise to a Mike Bramos triple at the sound of the buzzer after a sweet connection with Ukic.
The Greens started out better once more, created a small 6 point cushion (43-37, 24’30’’)but alas managed to lose it within two minutes, PAOK getting a few hoops from the line to lead once more in the encounter (43-44 at 27’20’’ and 45-47 at 28’05’’).Panathinaikos flew ahead momentarily (50-48, 29’30’’), Marcus Banks draining a basket beyond the arc but curtains fell in third quarter with PAOK in the lead once more by a single point (50-51).
Trifectas unleashed by Kapono and Maciulis aided the clover to regain a mini cushion (58-53, 34’40’’) but the home-team was only able to clearly escape its guest a minute and a half prior to the end of the game, getting up by 10 (65-55) behind Banks and Maciulis buckets. PAOK input final efforts, fought at the game down the wire, but ultimately Panathinaikos prevailed behind final 71-61 Mike Bramos to get range from downtown once more beating the buzzer.
Referees: Piloidis, Somos, Tarenidis
Quarters: 13-20, 35-35, 50-51, 71-61
Panathinaikos (Pedoulakis): Schortsanitis 2, Bramos 12 (5as), Maciulis 15 (6rbs, 3st), Kapono 7, Ukic 4, Lasme 9 (7rbs), Tsartsaris 4, Gist 7, Banks 8, Xanthopoulos 3, Giannopoulos
PAOK (Markopoulos): Hatcher 2, Kaselakis 2, Haralampidis 11, McGrath 10, Theodorakos, Tsairelis 5, Dedas, Margaritis 4, Papadopoulos 12, Nikolopoulos, Kalles 4, Haritopoulos 11
*Dimitris Diamantidis was sidelined facing an ankle sprain.
Youngster fans’ stands
Panathinaikos was supported today at OAKA by a youngster fans’ stand, since 160 people were hosted from the school society “Alexandros”,Nea Artaki, athletes from the cadets of the basketball team GS Marousi, children from the 19th elementary school of Nea Ionia and children from the team OFI.
