ULEB Cup draw profile: Panionios On Telecoms
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Panionios Ons Telecoms returns to the ULEB Cup elimination rounds for a second time in as many seasons in the competitions after having finished third in Group G with a 5-5 record. After a mid-season coaching change, Panionios won four games in a row that were the basis of its qualification. Three of those victories came on the road, too, making this team an automatic danger in a two-leg elimination round. At the same time, however, Panionios lost three home games, including the last two of the regular season, so will not inspire fear in visitors - and perhaps the opposite. Also, the defense of Panionios allowed more points in the regular  season than all but four of the 32 teams that advanced. Bringing its defense closer to its offense, which averaged 82.2 points, is the first task for Panionios in preparing for the Last 32. On the plus side, Panionios has experience and diverse offensive talents, including five players averaging double-digit scoring. Veterans Ioannis Kalampokis at guard and Yiannis Giannoulis at forward are the top two scorers. Shooters Dusan Sakota and Brad Newley follow closely behind with versatile playaker Ivan Zoroski able to switch guard positions to help the team. Zoroski's height at point guard could solve the team's biggest disadvantage - rebounding - where Panionios ranked dead last among 54 teams in the regular season, pulling just 26.7 per game. Since good defense doesn't end until the rebound, improving its next-to-last efficiency on the defensive glass is essential to the better defense Panionios needs in order to keep competing at the next level.
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POST-DRAW REACTIONS | Panionios On Telecoms guard Ivan Zoroski :"At this point of the ULEB Cup we know that every opponent is very strong. As Pamesa Valencia is. Valencia is one of the most promising Spanish teams of the last five years. They are the favorite, we are the underdogs and we will take our chances to make an historical qualification. The fact that the coach of Valencia, Mr. Katsikaris, is Greek, means a lot for our opponent, but also our coach, Mr. Markovic, used to be a player of Valencia and knows how to prepare us for both games." |
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