Panathinaikos faced no issue performing against Peristeri. It prevailed 85-60 at the OAKA indoor arena in BasketLeague OPAP Game 21, Argyris Pedoulakis to offer rest to certain players but also game time to others.
Breaking away from a recognizing first two minutes, the Greens took the lead in the game, galloped to a swift 9-2 (5’20’’), first quarter to rest 17-6. The game failed to change much down the stretch. Panathinaikos upped the ante to +20 (31-11, 16’30’’), slightly later to +21 (34-13, 17’30’’), reached a 28 point lead at the beginning of fourth quarter (64-36, 30’20’’), Peristeri embarking on an attempt to react, enforce pressure and perform more pleasingly. It ran a partial 11-0 streak (64-47, 33’), picked up the trail further slightly later down to 16 points (67-51, 34’), but Panathinaikos put the pedal to the medal once more, got the score board reading 77-53 (37’45’’), game to ultimately rest at final score 85-60.
Referees: Pantazis, Deslis, Nikoloulis
Quarters: 17-6, 40-18, 61-34, 85-60
Panathinaikos (Pedoulakis): Schortsanitis 4, Bramos 14, Maciulis 7, Diamantakos, Ukic 7, Lasme 10, Tsartsaris 4, Gist 6, Banks 19, Xanthopoulos 10, Giannopoulos 2, Skordilis 2
Peristeri (Koustenis): Papantoniou 18, Kobodietas 7, Parker 10, Kanonidis 6, Psaropoulos, Mantzaris 6, Mitchell 11, Hines, Petroulas, Melissaratos, Lakkas 2, Zoubos
Pedoulakis: “Hard to concentrate”
Panathinaikos Head Coach, Argyris Pedoulakis, stated at the after game Press Conference: “It is tough for a team to concentrate under these circumstances, without fans. Our goal was for all the guys to rotate, give rest to certain players, game time to others and to avoid any injuries. During first half our defense was at a good level, as time elapsed though our mind was on the score board. I wish Peristeri to be able to achieve its goal of remaining in the category”.
Dimitris Koustenis, Peristeri Head Coach, stressed: “I would like before anything else to congratulate Argyris Pedoulakis and Panathinaikos in general for its success versus Real Madrid and for the stride it has made through Euroleague. We had wished, coming here, for it not to be a game of a procedural nature for Panathinaikos. We fought battles through three quarters, had energy. We try to incorporate Parker and Mitchell in our philosophy, in defense so much as in offense. And prepare for our upcoming season, for one of the five finals we have lying ahead, versus Kavala. Starting from today, this game across from Panathinaikos belongs in the past and we look ahead to all up next”.
Vassilis Xanthopoulos noted: “We approached the game in the correct manner. We based our efforts mainly in defense. We were mature for long periods of time through the game, but at certain points we weren’t, but we won. Now we focus upon the game versus Bamberg, a very important encounter for us. I wish all the best next to Peristeri”.
Smush Parker stated: “Congratulations to Panathinaikos and to Vassilis Xanthopoulos, they did a great job. We wanted to use the game in order to become better. We have four-five games ahead of us and we must use this game as I step towards performing better. As I said, we have an important game ahead of us versus Kavala. If we can be competitive against Panathinaikos for 5-10 minutes, it is something which will aid us in our next big game. And we need our fans there to help us along the way”.
Without Diamantidis
Panathinaikos competed today without Dimitris Diamantidis, who took some time off to rest, feeling some discomfort in his foot.
