Panathinaikos AKTOR secured yet another victory, defeating Kolossos H Hotels at home for the 18th round of the Stoiximan GBL.
Kolossos H Hotels started the game stronger, taking an early lead (0-8 at 3'), while Panathinaikos AKTOR responded swiftly, narrowing the gap to a single possession (12-14 at 5'). However, poor perimeter shooting resulted in a two-point deficit at the end of the first quarter (22-24), before the game dynamics shifted entirely.
With improved two-point shooting efficiency, Panathinaikos AKTOR gained control of the game by the 16th minute (37-35) and never looked back. The second quarter concluded with the Greens holding a four-point advantage (45-41), setting the stage for the dominant performance that followed.
Upon returning from the locker room, Panathinaikos AKTOR accelerated its pace, significantly widening the lead, reaching a 20-point margin (74-54 at 28’) just before the end of the third quarter.
The closing minutes of the game were largely procedural, as Panathinaikos AKTOR maintained its lead until the final buzzer, extending its perfect record to 18-0 in the Stoiximan GBL.
QUARTERS: 22-24, 45-41, 76-60, 94-82.
PANATHINAIKOS AKTOR (Ataman): Brown 16 (2), Osman 11 (1), Papapetrou 6, Grant 2, Gabriel 14, Kalaitzakis 10, Moraitis, Sloukas 6 (1), Samodurov 2, Nunn 17 (3), Mitoglou 10.
KOLOSSOS H HOTELS (Carrasco): Jackson 14 (4), Petropoulos 3 (1), Galvanini 7 (1), Perrantes 13 (3), McGlynn 16 (1), Goudelock 9 (1), Koloveros 7, Tsairelis 8, Chatzinikolas, Billis 5, Kouroupakis.
Ataman: "After the third quarter, we controlled the game"
Ergin Ataman explained how Panathinaikos AKTOR secured a home victory over Kolossos H Hotels following the conclusion of their matchup in the 18th round of the Stoiximan GBL.
His statements in detail:
"In the first half, our pace and motivation were low. It is understandable after a EuroLeague double-game week to experience such a drop in motivation. However, we spoke in the locker room at halftime and took the third quarter seriously. For five to six minutes, we played our style of basketball, which allowed us to break the game open and gain full control. After that, we gave more minutes to players coming off the bench while allowing the key players to get some rest, as the Greek Cup Final Eight in Crete is just around the corner."
On Lorenzo Brown: "He is one of the best point guards, and last season, he was among the top players in the EuroLeague. However, in our team, we have European champions in the backcourt, such as Kostas Sloukas, Jerian Grant, and Kendrick Nunn. For this reason, in some games, we couldn't allocate enough minutes to him. Naturally, this situation sometimes affects his motivation. But for us, having a player like him is always a great asset, especially when we face issues like today. He is always ready to contribute, including in the EuroLeague. The challenge is that playing time is limited. I am certain that if we need him in a crucial moment, he will be there to help us."
On Ioannis Papapetrou: "Perhaps his situation is similar to Lorenzo Brown’s. There is competition not only between teams but also among players. Those who perform better earn more minutes. For example, Juancho Hernangómez and Cedi Osman play every week and continue to improve. That is why Ioannis gets fewer minutes. Personally, I design each game plan with the objective of winning, not based on distributing minutes to each player. Especially in big games, I prefer not to rotate extensively. Usually, I rely on six to seven players. That is my system."
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