Panathinaikos was unable to prevail at the Stadium of Peace and Friendship, Olympiacos to get to the positive outcome behind final 72-67 in BasketLeague OPAP game 15.
Panathinaikos was the team to start off on the right foot. The competitiveness it illustrated during the clash’s first few minutes seemed to take the hosts by surprise. Initial 2-7 (2’15’’), became 4-11 (3’35’’)the Green players to share the scoring assignment amongst each other (Ukic, Maciulis, Lasme, Gist). Primary counteraction came to 9-11 (5’), while the home-team behind an overall 13-3 managed even to lead (17-14, 7’) behind a Giorgos Printezis three. The clover continued to play its game using Sofoklis Schortsanitis as its go-to-guy, player to aid towards the lead returning to green possession and a +3 lead also assisted by Kostas Tsartsaris (20-23, 10’20’’).Sofo was the player after 24-23 (11’07’’) to get Panathinaikos back up, this time by 4(24-28, 12’20’’). The hosting team however found its way and the solutions to react, fighting aggressively at the rebounds, accelerating the game pace. It rana 14-5 streak result being 38-33 half-timescore.
The hosts expanded the gap they had formed even further in second half. They got its price up to 10 points (56-46, 28’), mainly exploiting offensive rebounds they managed to snatch and which they had fail to gather during first half. Panathinaikos attempted to pick up the slack, crept up (56-50, 29’ and 62-56, 32’20’’) but the Reds had established a pleasing pace and managed to get their opponents even within 11 points (67-56 at 33’45’’,69-58 at 36’, 71-60 at 37’), only for curtains to drop in the encounter behind final 72-67 to be sealed behind to three good shots from the line drained by Dimitris Diamantidis, player to leave the floor having tallied 17 points and 6 perfect passes.
Referees: Tanatzis, Piloidis, Koromilas
Quarters: 20-22, 38-33, 58-52, 72-67
Olympiacos (Bartzokas): Hines 6, Law 12, Antic 2, Spanoulis 11, Perperoglou 10, Shermadini 2, Sloukas 4, Powel 5, Printezis 11, Papanikolaou 9
Panathinaikos (Pedoulakis): Schortsanitis 14, Bramos, Maciulis 4, Kapono 3, Ukic 4, Lasme 11, Tsartsaris 5, Diamantidis 17 (6as), Gist 3, Banks 2, Xanthopoulos 4
Dimitris Giannakopoulos at the Stadium of Peace and Friendship
Dimitris Giannakopoulos was present at the Stadium of Peace and Friendship. The Panathinaikos BC President arrived at the stadium after the team’s delegation and attended the game from a seat next to the bench. Prior to tip-off he shook hands with the Angelopoulos brothers. After the encounter he protested about the game’s refereeing.
Pedoulakis:“Different criteria”
Panathinaikos Head Coach, Argyris Pedoulakis, stated after the end of the encounter: “It was a tough game with special emphasis in defense. We wanted to maintain the pace and for a certain part of the game we were good. What was to blame, mainly during the second half was that we lost 10 rebounds, we offered second chances. And we missed many shots. Even when players who mainly get good range were shooting, even when the shots were uncontested, we failed to nail the target. However the criteria were not the same for all. This is something that others are to notice. We will check out our mistakes. Now that we are fuller, we are all present for practices and we have a better image of what we are able to do. We have many guys who have not yet played at this level. It is only natural for certain guys not to be on a good day. Every month that goes by they get a piece of action and become better. Diamantidis wasessentially sidelined for 35 days. Sofoklis was absent essentially from November. This proves what a good job all the other guys did during this period of time upon their attempt to fill in their places”.
When asked about Schortsanitis’ participation he stressed: “Olympiacos opts for many pick and rolls. Sofo has been missing two months; we have four games to give in nine days. He is lacking breathers. He made a tremendous effort. He got worn down and we tried to assist him as team. During the second half Olympiacos steered its blows continuously in his direction. He committed his 4thfoul… It showed that he was unprepared physically. It showed up in examinations which the players underwent, that the players are trailing in physical condition and explosiveness”.
Vassilis Xanthopoulos stated: “Unfortunately we failed to do what we had discussed, while on yet another occasion we experienced dry spells. On previous occasions, in previous games we had not paid the price. It was tough not to here. Olympiacos forgive none of our mistake and prevailed. We keep up the hard work. We have a really important game ahead versus Rethymno (February 6). We mustn’t even think about the Greek Cup. Finally, I would like to wish Vangelis Mantzaris “get well soon””.
