Panathinaikos sat in the driver’s seat from tip-off and managed to get its first Euroleague win behind 95-74 final game score versus Laboral Kutxa. And all this in a pack to the rim, painted green court in Nicosia, one which supported the team from minute way down the stretch. The Greens will have yet another reason to remember this game since they tied and record and reach one other.
The Greens stepped out aggressively from minute one and decisively against a team which was facing its own issues, since it lined up with 9 players due to injuries. Panathinaikos’ great weapon in the first few minutes was its defense, which provided to easy baskets in the fast break but also to three-point shots. The clover mounted a swift +10 cushion (20-10), the first quarter rested at 26-16 and the gap expanded sky rocketed during the second quarter, soaring all the way up to 20 points (44-24, 16’48’’), the Spaniards attempting to pick up the trail at the end of the first half (50-35).
The score gap reached +24 (59-35, 22’40’’) behind a three by Dimitris Diamantidis and remain in high digits all the way into the clutch. Panathinaikos clearly had first say on matters on court, only to reach final 95-74.
Referees: Cerebuch (ITA), Boltauzer (SLO), Nuran (TUR)
Quarters: 26-16, 50-35, 77-56, 95-74
Panathinaikos (Pedoulakis): Brmaos 21, Curry 15 (4as), Batiste 5, Fotsis 8 (6rb), Ukic 6 (5as), Lasme 9, Mavrokefalidis 2, Diamantidis 9 (9as), Gist 8, Pappas, Jankovic 3, Maciulis 9
Laboral Kutxa (Sakriolo): Nocioni 23, Van Oostrum 1, Diop, Hodge 15, Pleiss 10, Heurtel 5, Jelinek 17, Causeur 3.
Green Records
Panathinaikos set its own records on yet another occasion. The Greens dished 31 assists, tying the respective existing Euroleague record from back in the 2003-04 season set by Maccabi Tel Aviv. Also, they accomplished 18 valid three pointers (an impressive 18-for-37 stat); a number which provides the second best tally in the respective Euroleague category (Roma and CSKA have also made 18 threes in a single game). The top of the list belongs to Montepaschi Siena behind 19 triples made in a game versus Prokom from the 2011-12 campaign. Top player for the clover in this specific department was Mike Bramos, scoring 7-for-11 trifectas.
Triples
1. Montepaschi Siena 19 vs Asseco Prokom Gdynia (9/11/2012)
2. Panathinaikos 18 vs Laboral Kutxa (25/10/2013)
3 .CSKA Moscow 18 vs Efes Pilsen (12/11/2008)
4. Virtus Roma 18 vs Pau Orthez (18/12/2003)
*Following, 11 teams with 17 assists per game
Assists
1. 31 Panathinaikos-Laboral Kutxa 95-74 (25/10/2013)
-.31 Maccabi Tel Aviv-Panathinaikos 97-75 (20/11/2003)
-.31 Maccabi Tel Aviv-Skipper Bologna 118-74 (1/5/2004)
4.30 Chorale Roanne-Panathinaikos 83-123 (21/11/2007)
-. 30 Pau Orthez-Zadar 101-73 (20/12/2001)
-. 30 Khimki-Fenerbahce Ulker 99-76 (22/3/2013)
Honors
Before the beginning of the encounter, the Cyprus Gate 12 honored Panathinaikos via Fragiskos Alvertis; the clover was given memorabilia by the Cyprian Federation through its president Georgios Chrisostomou while honors hour ended with the All Cyprus Panathinaikos Fans Association.
