Greek League, Regular Season, Game 18: March 1-2, 2008
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The big news in the Greek League over the weekend was Panathinaikos seeing its first-place standing threatened as it lost for the second-consecutive week, this time at home by 89-93 to ninth-place Maroussi, after having gone undefeated through the season's first 16 games. Combined with its midweek Euroleague defeat at Montepaschi Siena, the Greens have three consecutive losses on their hands for the first time in recent memory. Dimitris Mavroidis with 20 points and Kostas Kaimakoglou with 15 points dominated under the baskets for Maroussi, while Kostas Haralampidis added another 15 points. Vassilis Spanoulis and Dimitris Diamantidis scored 19 and 18 points respectively for Panathinaikos. Second-place Olympiacos took advantage by holding off mighty Olympia Larissa 65-61 as Marc Jackson posted 14 points and Kostas Vassiliadis 10. Aris escaped with a valuable 61-73 road victory over fifth-p`lace Panionios as Jeremiah Massey posted a double-double of 20 points and 10 rebounds to go with 4 blocks. Bracey Wright and Giorgos Kalaitzis added 17 and 14 points, respectively, while for Brad Newley led Panionios with 14 points. Panellinios did not face any difficulty to record its first 100-point game by crushing the guests from Olympiada Patras 101-75. Six host players scored in double digits as Vangelis Sklavos led the way with 19 points. AE Larissa stopped visiting AEK 86-78 to give the guests their first defeat after five consecutive wins. Billy Keys was in the zone, gunning in 42 points for the winners, while AEK got 20 from Alexis Kyritsis, 16 from Nikos Barlos and 15 from K’Zell Wesson. PAOK beat Kolossos Rhodes 90-79 with Jason Rowe netting 23 points on 4 three-pointers while dishing 7 assists. Ian Vouyoukas and Bennett Davison shared 18 points each to lead AGO Rethymnon to a 73-69 win over Egaleo, which also got 18 points from Anthony Goldwire.
In OAKA Sports Hall, Panathinaikos had to settle for its first domestic home defeat in more than a year, since February, 17, 2007, when the Greens lost to Olympiacos. Maroussi was the team to dictate the tempo until halftime, never losing the lead after overcoming an early 5-0 edge by Panathinaikos. The visitors fed the ball inside, where Mavroidis and Kaimakoglou hurt the Greens with ease. Panathinaikos managed to rally for a 30-19 third quarter to sail in front by 70-68, but Maroussi kept its nerve and with a clear-minded fourth quarter sealed an historical 89-93 road win. It was only the second away win over Panathinaikos ever for Maroussi ever, the first having come back in the 1999-2000 season. Mavroidis and Kaimakoglou combined 45 points and Kostas Haralampidis added 15. For Panathinaikos, Spanoulis added 5 assists to his 19 points. Dimitris Diamantidis contributed 18 points and 4 steals, Dimos Dikoudis 14 points, Sani Becirovic and Sarunas Jasikevicius 10 points apiece for the Greens.
Olympiacos never lost the lead in its game against Olympia Larissa in Peace and Friendship Stadium, but neither did it manage to lead by more than 10 points. The Reds built advantages of 20-11 and 41-31, but committed a bag of 21 turnovers total to allow Olympia stay close. Jackson led the hosts in scoring with 14 points, while Kostas Vassiliadis was the only other Red to reach double figures posting 10 points. Giorgos Tsiaras scored 20 and Fanis Koubouras added 16 for Olympia in defeat. Aris proved the boss of the game against Panionios from the tip-off till the final buzzer at the Hellinikon Complex. The guests built a six-point cushion in the first period and never looked back on their way to victory. Massey dominated the paint with 20 points, 10 boards and 4 blocks, while Wright and Kalaitzis were solid from the perimeter with 17 and 14 points respectively. Brad Newley scored 14; Lonny Baxter added 12 and Giannis Kalampokis had 11 for the hosts, who had big trouble setting up their offense.
LAST GAME GAME 18
March 1-2, 2008 | | Day | Match | Result | | Mar. 1 | OLYMPIACOS vs. OLYMPIA A. | 65-61 | | Mar. 1 | A.G.O.R. ALMECO vs. EGALEO | 73-69 | | Mar. 1 | PANATHINAIKOS vs.MAROUSI | 89-93 | | Mar. 1 | A.E.L. vs. A.E.K. | 86-78 | | Mar. 2 | PANELLINIOS vs. OLYMPIAS | 101-75 | | Mar. 2 | P.A.O.K. vs. KOLOSSOS RODOU | 90-79 | | Mar. 2 | PANIONIOS OnTele vs. ARIS | 61-73 |
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NEXT GAME GAME 19
March 8-9, 2008 | | Day | Match | | Mar. 8 | OLYMPIAS vs. RETHIMNO | | Mar. 8 | EGALEO vs. P.A.O.K. | | Mar. 9 | KOLOSSOS vs. OLYMPIACOS | | Mar. 9 | LARISASvs.PANATHINAIKOS | | Mar. 8 | ARIS T.T. BANK vs.MAROUSI | | Mar. 9 | A.E.K. vs. PANELLINIOS | | Mar. 8 | PANIONIOS vs. A.E.L. 1964 |
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| STANDINGS | TG | W | L | P+ | P- | | 1 | PANATHINAIKOS | 18 | 16 | 2 | 1586 | 1280 | | 2 | OLYMPIACOS | 18 | 15 | 3 | 1541 | 1331 | | 3 | ARIS T.T.BANK | 18 | 13 | 5 | 1346 | 1240 | | 4 | EGALEO | 18 | 10 | 8 | 1391 | 1420 | | 5 | PANIONIOS OnTelecoms | 18 | 10 | 8 | 1380 | 1326 | | 6 | PANELLINIOS | 18 | 10 | 8 | 1368 | 1363 | | 7 | A.E.K. | 18 | 9 | 9 | 1341 | 1318 | | 8 | A.E.L. | 18 | 8 | 10 | 1338 | 1346 | | 9 | MAROUSI COSTA COFFEE | 18 | 8 | 10 | 1275 | 1322 | | 10 | OLYMPIA ATHIENITIS | 18 | 7 | 11 | 1246 | 1281 | | 11 | P.A.O.K. | 18 | 7 | 11 | 1304 | 1381 | | 12 | KOLOSSOS RODOU | 18 | 6 | 12 | 1369 | 1528 | | 13 | A.G.O.R. ALMECO | 18 | 4 | 14 | 1242 | 1333 | | 14 | A.E.P. OLYMPIAS | 18 | 3 | 15 | 1226 | 1484 |
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Stelios Kyriakoglou, Athens
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