Panathinaikos AKTOR secured a victory over Peristeri Domino’s (93-63) in the second quarterfinal of the OPAP Final 8 Greek Men’s Cup, earning a spot in the tournament’s semifinals, where they will face Promitheas Vikos Cola.
Peristeri Domino’s scored the first basket of the game, but Panathinaikos AKTOR quickly took control, racing to a 10-point lead (23-13 at 8’) before the end of the first quarter. The advantage continued to grow, reaching +17 (30-13 at 11’), with the team’s offensive versatility proving to be a key asset for Ergin Ataman’s squad.
With strong defensive efforts and high shooting accuracy from both two-point and three-point range, Panathinaikos AKTOR extended its lead to 20 points (39-19 at 15’) and closed the first half with a commanding +22 advantage (48-36).
Despite the efforts of the nominal visitors, the Greens maintained full control throughout the final stretch of the game, never allowing their dominance to be questioned. This was evident in the +27 lead (81-54 at 35’) and the final victory, which secured Panathinaikos AKTOR’s place in the semifinals of the OPAP Final 8 Greek Men’s Cup.
QUARTERS: 28-13, 48-26, 71-50, 93-63.
PANATHINAIKOS AKTOR (Ataman): Brown 8, Moraitis 3 (1), Sloukas 8 (2), Osman 15 (2), Samodurov 8 (1), Papapetrou 6, Grant 9 (2), Nunn 4, Gabriel 12, Hernangomez 8 (2), Mitoglou 12 (1).
PERISTERI DOMINO'S (Limniatis): Coffey 6, Papas 6, Hill 2, Stavrakopoulos, Poulianitis 2, Tsourgiannis, Riley 10 (2), Avdalas 6 (1), Harris 5 (1), Brown 2, Eddie 15 (4), Ζοugris 9.
Ataman: "We played strong defense throughout the game"
After the end of the game, Ergin Ataman said:
"We played strong defense throughout the game, remained aggressive, and protected our paint. Our solid defense allowed us to push in transition and score easy points on fast breaks. This was the key to sealing the game. Offensively, we moved the ball well, giving opportunities and playing time to all our available players. I’m particularly pleased with Alexandros Samontourov’s performance, as well as the fact that we recorded 26 assists with only 5 turnovers. That means we played a near-perfect quarterfinal game."
From his side, Lorenzo Brown added: "Defensively, we were aggressive. I believe we need to keep this mindset throughout the tournament. That will be the key to winning the trophy—strong defense leading to fast transitions. Defense will set up our offense, and defensive aggressiveness is exactly what we aim for."
