Panathinaikos edged KAOD 87-70 at the OAKA in Basket League OPAP game 19. The clover competed without injured Marcus Banks (inner thigh strain) and Vassilis Xanthopoulos (neck strain) but also without Jason Kapono. Slightly prior to the game buzzer Gaios Skordilis was also injured and will be undergoing examinations.
The first half was not the best possible for Panathinaikos. It was unable to establish a pace; it tried to find solutions for its absences, while it also failed to get range from long distance. All this and across from an extra competitive KAOD that also tried to enforce pressure resulted in Panathinaikos not being able to pull away during the first half of the game. It led (6-2 at 2’45’’, 21-16 at 9’) but the guests always found solutions (8-9 at 5’05’’, 23-24 at 11’30’’).
Panathinaikos began to pace itself midway through second quarter, got the score to 39-28 (17’10’’), behind a what seemed to be unstoppable Sofoklis Schortsanitis, only for half time to find the score board reading 45-36. Game image remained the same through third quarter, Panathinaikos to up the ante to a 16 point cushion (65-49, 27’40’’) only to seal the game deal once and for good during fourth quarter, getting the gap priced at 26 points (85-59, 36’40’’), only for curtains to fall in the court at 87-70.
Referees: Tavoulareas, Malandris, Pagonis
Quarters 23-18, 45-36, 67-56, 87-70
Panathinaikos (Pedoulakis): Schortsanitis 20, Bramos 7, Maciulis 13 (9rb), Ukic 6 (5as), Lasme 9 (3st, 2bs), Tsartsaris 6, Diamantidis 13 (8as), Gist 6, Giannopoulos 7, Charalampopoulos, Skordilis
KAOD (Markovic): Slaftsakis, Knowles 13, Kalaitzidis 2, Benas, Michel 8, Bavcic 4, Kakaroudis 8, Zarras 3, Ioannou 5, Palmer 13, Rowe 14
