Porter Jr. and PAOK won away games and Panathinaikos AKTOR took the lead for the semi-finals!

The first step towards qualifying for the semifinals of the Stoiximan Basket League was made on Thursday night (16/05) by Panathinaikos AKTORwinning by a score 84-66 of PAOK at OAKA in Game 1 of the playoffs series.

Presenting a serious and concentrated face throughout the match, having at the same time pluralism and a very good defensive image, the “greens” bent the Thessaloniki and the… astronaut, Kevin Porter Jrand now they go the next Saturday (18/05) in Pylaia to “lock” qualification to the next round.

However, there is concern in the “clover”, as, o Alexander Balcherovsky withdrew from the race due to indisposition and stomach disorders, going to the hospital for tests. Let us remember that tonight Ergin Ataman did not have them at his disposal Slouka, Huacho and Nanwith the latter dealing with a slight sprain in his right ankle.

First scorers for the winners were Grigonis and Mitoglou with 15 points, while the Lessor and Grant they added 14 and 10 points respectively. He was also excellent Costas Antetokounmpo with 9 points, 5 rebounds, 3 steals, but also 3 blocks!

For the Thessalonians, he was unstoppable Kevin Porter Jrwith the 24-year-old explosive guard finishing the match with 26 points (10/19 from the field), 9 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals, but also 5 fouls, playing the entire 40 minutes!

The match:

Given the absences of Sluka and Nan, o Panathinaikos AKTOR started the match with Vildosa, Grant, Grigonis, Mitoglou and Balcerovski in his starting five, with PAOK to start with Fredrickson, Porter, Michalak, McNeese and Alston. The Thessalonians entered the match better with him Kevin Porter Jr to pull off two terrific alley oop passes to McNeese, they went ahead with 4-1 in 2′.

The answer of the “greens” came immediately with his two three-pointers in a row Mitoglou and Grigonis’ two-pointer for 9-4 in the 5th minute, while a little later, the Vildosa and Grant found a target behind 6.75m, shaping it 18-13 at 8′. Alston gave PAOK an offensive breath by answering with the same coin (18-16), so that in the last minute, Grant and Grigonis came from the shooting line and Tsairelis with a nice drive to form the 22-18 of the quarter.

At its beginnings second period, both teams struggled to find their way to the opposing basket, having consecutive misses and nervous attacks. By Matias Lessor to dominate the painted and succeed 7 points in the first five minutes of the quarter, the “clover” took the lead for the first time with double digit difference for 33-23 at 15′.

And while up to that point the “greens” they had “locked up” Kevin Porter Jr, either with the suffocating marking of Grigonis and Kalaitzakis, or even with a double team, the former NBAer… broke out, having a three-minute “fire”. Specifically, during this time, the 24-year-old explosive guard scored 11 points – and a four-pointer among others – closing the gap in 4 (39-35), before Mitoglou, Papapetrou and Antetokounmpo send Panathinaikos to the locker room with +9 for 46-37.

His start was extremely impressive second half for Panathinaikos, thanks of course to his excellent appearance Costa Antetokounmpo in defense and attack. The Greek center provided an improbable highlight, making a tapa… ala NBA on Porter’s attempt to nail the surprise, with the tall Panathinaikos perfectly ending two phases with nails for +13 and 50-37 at 22′! After its sluggish start in the third period, PAOK found an offensive … breath and thanks to the two three-pointers of Michalak, again reducing the difference to 6 (50-44) at 24′.

With Antetokounmpo continuing to provide valuable assists on both sides of the floor, Panathinaikos maintained their high percentages behind 6.75m. and with three three-pointers in their hands Mitoglou, Kalaitzakis and Grigonisraised the gap again at +13 (61-48) at 27′. In fact, with three points by the Lithuanian in the last two minutes, as well as a nail by Lessor at the end of the period, the “greens” closed the quarter ahead with 66-50.

With acquired speed he entered the fourth and final period Ergin Ataman’s team, thanks to their excellent defense, was able to go on a 6-0 run, blowing the lead at +22 and 72-50 in the 33rd minute. But the “two-headed man of the north” did not give up, on the contrary, he reacted with a forward against Porter Jr. responded with a quick 9-0 runreducing to 13 and 72-59 at 35′. The “greens”, however, were in no mood to get into…adventures and with a small outburst with consecutive points by Grigonis, Papapetrou and Vildosa, they increased the difference again to 20 points (81-61) in the 38th minute, finally reaching in the pink match sheet with the final 84-66.

The quarters: 22-18, 46-37, 66-50, 84-66.

See here the statistics of the match.