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ATHENS 2007: THE GREENS WIN AT HOME!
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| The Greens defeated defending champion
CSKA Moscow 93-91 in a thrilling final
at Athens Olympic Indoor Hall (OAKA)
in the Greek capital on Sunday to
take their first title in five years.
In front of a very green sold-out
crowd, Panathinaikos captain Fragiskos
Alvertis raised the new Euroleague
Basketball trophy as the proud club
celebrated its fourth Euroleague title
– the most of any team in the Final
Four era. Final Four MVP Dimitris
Diamantidis scored 15 points and displayed
the needed leadership to take his
team to glory. Diamantidis was one
of six Panathinaikos players to score
in double figures. Ramunas Siskauskas,
who tied a Euroleague final game record
with 12 free throws made and set another
with 17 attempted, shined with 20
points and 5 assists, Dejan Tomasevic
added 16, Mike Batiste and Milos Vujanic
had 12 each and Nikos Hatzivrettas
posted 10. Despite a game widely expected
to be a defensive struggle, the final
resulted in a high-scoring thriller
that went to the very end. Records
were set by Panathinaikos for most
free throws made (38) and attempted
(46) in a final. The greens also matched
a final record for most points scored
in the second quarter with 28. The
title gives coach Zeljko Obradovic
his record sixth Euroleague title,
while Alvertis joins six other players
on the all-time list with four Euroleague
crowns. Meanwhile, CSKA fell short
in its bid to become the second straight
team to win back-to-back titles. Newly
crowned Euroleague MVP Theodoros Papaloukas
did his best to carry the outgoing
champs, scoring a career-high 23 points
on 9-of-10 from the field to go with
8 assists, but it wasn't enough. Matjaz
Smodis finished with 18 points and
Trajan Langdon, who was instrumental
in CSKA's late rally with 11 fourth-quarter
points, wound up with 16. J.R. Holden
added 11. |
2007
FINAL FOUR: ATHENS, MAY 4-6
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FINAL
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3RD
PLACE GAME
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SEMIFINALS
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