Shout that… Olympiacos is emphatically here!
His team Giorgos Bartzokas he put in a great performance at OAKA against the underdog Panathinaikos AKTORdefeated him more easily than the final 89-84 shows and won home advantage and lead for her title Stoiximan Basket League!
From the first quarter, the “red and whites” showed much more attitude in defense and more clarity in attack. The “greens” had only a few good outbursts and succeeded in some cases to reducebut in general o Olympic comfortably maintained the lead throughout the race and cruised to a fair victory.
Leader of the winners with 12 points, 13 rebounds and 3 blocks Nikola Milutinovwhile 16 points were scored by Nigel Williams-Goss17 o Thomas Walkup11 o Shaquille McKissick and 10 o Philip Petrushev.
On the part of Panathinaikos, 21 points were scored by Kendrick Nunn but he missed with 8/20 shots, while 14 points were scored by Matias Lessor and 16 points with 5 assists o Kostas Sloukas.
Next match at CHEF on Friday (07/06) at 21:30, while the third game will take place on Monday (10/06, 21:15) at OAKA.
The match
The two teams started with some misguided attacks, until Peters found a target from a distance for the first basket of the game (0-3). The Greens were nervous at the start, with Peters again scoring three to make it 0-6. THE Grigonis broke the… pomegranate for the hosts with a shot from 6.75m. (3-6), but Papanikolaou answered him for 3-9. Lessor narrowly defeated Milutinov (5-9), with the Serb scoring from mid-range for 5-11. Na had not been in good form and missed consecutive attacks, with the “hot” Peters scoring mid-range shots for 5-13. Grant went to the line and reduced (7-13), but o Milutinov quickly responded with a follow-up pin (7-15). Grant found Hernangomet (9-15) with a nice assist, but the Serbian center nailed it by also taking the foul for 9-18. THE Sloukas gave an important solution with a three-pointer from the top (12-18), while it was followed by a second consecutive one from him for 15-18. THE Lessor brought the hosts even closer (17-19) and the first period ended with this score.
At the beginning of the second quarter, Kendrick Nunn gave Panathinaikos the lead, but Petrusev immediately took it back with a hook (20-21). THE Mitoglou took the baton and hit a three-point shot (23-21), before McKissick tied it at 23-23 with a layup. Grant ran in transition and scored (25-23), but o McKissick he answered again with an impetuous effort (25-25). Mitoglou found the target from 45 degrees for another long shot (28-25), but Goss cut it close to 28-27 with a layup. McKissick ran in transition and scored, but Slukas responded with another three-pointer (31-29). THE Milutinov beat Lessor in the post (31-31), while Petrusev made a foul on a surprise layup and made it 31-33. The Serb scored again after a rebound for 31-35, while Goss hit a three-point shot for +7 for the visitors (31-38). Petrusev renewed another attack (31-40), before o Grigonis reduce with a significant three-pointer from the top (34-40). McKissick made a very quick basket after the rebound (34-42), while Milutinov nailed himself for 34-44. THE Vildosa gave an important solution (37-44) from long range, but Goss made a second-chance basket again for 37-46, which was also the halftime score.
At the beginning of the second part, Walkup he hit three shots (37-49), while Lessor scored 39-49 from close range. The French center stole and nailed (41-49), but Walkup responded (41-51). Papanikolaou extended the guests’ lead (41-53), while the American guard with a Greek passport went to the line and scored 41-55. Nunn got a layup after several missed shots, but Kanaan countered on the very next layup to make it 44-58. Nan scored again (46-58), while Mitoglou further reduced the difference from mid-range (48-58). THE Nan shot from the top for three (51-58), with Milutinov to end the home team’s streak from the line with one shot (51-59). Juancho hit a three and cut it even further (54-59), with the home team wasting chances on layups to get within shooting distance. The Spaniard made another difficult basket (56-59), before Walkup made a crucial three-pointer from 45 degrees (56-62). THE Petrushev continued the reaction of Olympiakos (56-64), with Gos restoring the visitors’ +10 (56-66) with two shots that formed the final score of the period.
The fourth quarter started with Walkup’s three-pointer from the corner (56-69) and brought Olympiacos back to safety. Juancho made one shot (57-69), but Papanikolaou found the target from the corner for the biggest lead of the game (57-72). Lessor tried to cut it with a shot from the line (58-72), while Grant made another three for 61-72. Walkup made a big floater basket (61-74), before Goss did the same for 61-76. Lessor offered a temporary solution from close range (63-76), with McKissick immediately responding with a well-placed shot (63-77). Nan scored four consecutive points and gave hope to the hosts (67-77), while he also made a three-pointer for 72-79 with OAKA rising. Ataman received a technical penalty and Goss shot 72-80, with Papapetrou reducing from mid-range to 74-80. The “greens” missed important defensive rebounds and McKissick went to the line for two shots, essentially ending the match (74-82). Goss put in two more shots, with the Panathinaikos to find two long shots from Nan and Sluka for 80-85. THE Papanikolaou put his efforts from the line (80-87), but o Sloukas hit a three-pointer and foul (84-87). THE Walkup he was cool in the shots and wrote the final 84-89.
The quarters: 17-19, 37-46, 56-66, 84-89
Detailed match statistics here.
Source: Sport Fm
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