May 26, 2013
Regular Season Game 14 - February 01, 2007 CET: 20:15 Local time: 21:15 - NOKIA ARENA
Maccabi Elite 76 - 73 Panathinaikos

Records

Ave.   Ave.
0-0 Final Four 0-0
0-0 Playoffs 0-0
0-0 Top 16 0-0
1-1 Regular Season 1-0
7-6 Overall 11-2

Referees

Crew Chief
GARCIA ORTIZ, JOSE RAMON, Spain
Referee
SAHIN, TOLGA, Italy
Umpire
BOLTAUZER, MATEJ, Slovenia

Team Stats

Ave.   Ave.
88.8 Points 81.2
35.2 Rebounds 31.2
9.7 O. Rebounds 10.3
25.5 D. Rebounds 20.8
15.4 Assists 11.6
10.8 Steals 10.5
2.3 Blocks 2.7
14.6 Turnovers 14.9
53.6 % 2PT 57.3 %
41.0 % 3PT 37.2 %
79.2 % FT 68.4 %
99.6 Index 87.9
Team Stats - Maccabi Elite
Team Stats - Panathinaikos

Player Stats

Ave.   Ave.
17.5 / VUJCIC, NIKOLA Points 16.1 / Batiste
7.8 / VUJCIC, NIKOLA Rebounds 7.1 / Batiste
1.9 / VUJCIC, NIKOLA OR 3.4 / Batiste
5.9 / VUJCIC, NIKOLA DR 3.5 / Tsartsaris
4.4 / VUJCIC, NIKOLA Assists 3.8 / Diamantidis
1.6 / SHARP, DERRICK Steals 2.6 / Diamantidis
1.0 / VUJCIC, NIKOLA Blocks 0.9 / Diamantidis
3.8 / BYNUM, W. Turnovers 2.8 / Diamantidis
62.5 % / Jasaitis 2PT 71.4 % / DIKOUDIS, DIMOS
57.8 % / SHARP, DERRICK 3PT 48.3 % / SISKAUSKAS, RAMUNAS
90.2 % / SHARP, DERRICK FT 79.4 % / Diamantidis
24.2 / VUJCIC, NIKOLA Index 13.9 / Diamantidis
Team Roster - Maccabi Elite
Team Roster - Panathinaikos

THE TAKE

Two of the Euroleague's biggest rivals meet again on Thursday in Group B when Maccabi Elite Tel Aviv hosts Panathinaikos at Nokia Arena in Tel Aviv, Israel. The two teams enter the game in much different situations, but similarly starved for a victory. Maccabi (7-6) must win to finish second in the group, while a defeat could land the Israeli champs anywhere from third to fifth place, depending on other results. Panathinaikos (11-2) has already wrapped up first place, but will look to boost spirits ahead of the Top 16 after losing back-to-back games. This decade alone, these teams have played each other twice for continental titles and twice more in the Euroleague Final Four, splitting those games and the subsequent titles at issue in 2000, 2001, 2002 and 2005. The Greek champs hold an 9-6 lead in the all-time head-to-head series after edging Maccabi 90-88 earlier this season when Simas Jasaitas's game-tying basket for Maccabi was shot just after the buzzer sounded. Mike Batiste led the Greek champions with 21 that night, while Will Bynum netted 22 for Maccabi. The teams will have slightly different looks than they did that game. Batiste (16.1 ppg., 7.1 rpg.), still nursing a calf injury, Nikos Hatzivrettas (8.9 ppg.) and Demos Dikoudis (8.1 ppg.), are all doubtful for coach Zeljko Obramovic's team. On the other hand, Bynum (11.9 ppg.) is back after missing a game last week and new signing Goran Jeretin could debut this week for Maccabi. The key for Maccabi is as always all-Euroleague center Nikola Vujcic, who is ranked second in the league in scoring (17.5 ppg.), fifth in assists (4.4 apg.), fifth in rebounding (7.8 rpg.) and eighth in blocked shots (1 bpg.). Team captain Derrick Sharp (11.8 ppg., 57.8% 3FG) and Tal Burstein, both of whom have been around for the entire rivalry with Panathinaikos, could also play big roles. For the visitors, star guards Dimitrios Diamantidis (8.5 ppg., 3.8 apg., 2.6 spg.) and Tony Delk (10.8 ppg.) will need to make their presences felt, while Dejan Tomasevic and Kostas Tsartsaris (8.6 ppg., 4.6 rpg.) will be in the market for more minutes in place of Batiste and Dikoudis. The list of potential impact players between these deep teams is seemingly endless and any one of their starters or reserves could be a hero in the end. Maccabi's perfect home record makes it the favorite, but anything is possible in an rivalry like this, where the only sure thing is exciting Euroleague Basketball.
Wednesday, January 31, 2007
Euroleague.net - Yarone Arbel, Tel Aviv - Kostas Sotiriou, Athens

Quotes Head Coaches

SPAHIJA, NEVEN
Maccabi Elite
"It's going to be a very tough game. It's a big game for me and my players. Panathinaikos is coming to play without pressure, because they secured first place in the group, while we're under big pressure from the media and fans. These kind of situations can show you who you are and what you're made of, but we're not afraid. I'm sure we'll give our best to win this game and finish second in the group. We got Goran Jeretin to join us this week, but he arrived only yesterday so we don't count on him too much for this game. He needs time to adjust to the system. I know exactly what he can do for us. He can bring experience, good decision making and to take pressure off players. I hope he'll help us along the way."
OBRADOVIC, ZELJKO
Panathinaikos
"This is our last game of the regular season and everybody knows that the result is not important for Panathinaikos. What is significant for us is to come back healthy for the Euroleague Top 16, since we have faced many injuries during the last month. Facing Maccabi in Tel Aviv in a full gym of 10,000 fans is always nice for any team, and Panathinaikos considers this gam a great opportunity to show high-quality basketball."

Players

VUJCIC, NIKOLA
Maccabi Elite
"Playing against a big club like Panathinaikos is always a great experience. Since I have been with Maccabi, there have been many big games between the clubs. This one is more important for us than for them, and we need to show it on court, especially in front of our fans. We must fight for every ball, and give everything we have, because they are a very good team and we can't afford to lose this game. We haven't lost at home so far, and we need to keep it this way, no matter who's playing on the other side. I know that Sharp, Burstein and I will have to bring our experience, because in such games experience always helps."
VUJANIC, MILOS
Panathinaikos
"We are going to see great atmosphere in Tel Aviv and I can definitely say that it is nice to play against Maccabi, since their fans know basketball and are very supportive. Panathinaikos clinched first place in Group B four or five weeks ago, so the result has no importance for us. It doesn't mean we are going there to lose. We prepared the game very seriously, as we did the previous 13, and our goal is to go there and get one more win on the last day of the regular season. We don't have pressure. We just want to play good basketball and enjoy the game."
Nikola Vujcic - Maccabi Elite Maccabi Elite Tel Aviv started the fourth quarter with a 12-0 run to come back and steal a 76-73 win from Panathinaikos on Thursday night at Nokia Arena. The win gave Maccabi second place at the end of the regular season and handed Panathinaikos, which had already clinched the Group B crown, its third straight defeat. Maccabi won its 15th straight home game to finish the season 8-6 and will be a No. 2 seed in the Top 16 draw. The Greens, who started the season with 11 straight wins, wind up 11-3. Derrick Sharp scored 18 points – including a number of key baskets – to lead Maccabi. Yotam Halperin added 10 and Nikola Vujcic posted 9 points, 9 rebounds and 4 assists. Dimitrios Diamantidis had 17 for the Greek champs, Ramunas Siskauskas scored 12 – all in the first half – Sani Becirovic scored 12 and Kostas Tsartsaris posted 9 points and 11 rebounds. Panathinaikos was the hot team early, as Siskauskas fired away to give his team a 10-23 lead. Jamie Arnold helped Maccabi climb back in the second and eventually tie the score, but the visitors held a 33-37 halftime lead. Dejan Tomasevic and Becirovic helped the visitors get back to 49-59. Sharp ended the third with a three and Maccabi scored the first 12 of the fourth as the visitors attack dried up. The visitors remained within striking distance until the final minute, but a ny chance Panathinaikos still had to win disappeared when coach Zeljko Obradovic was whistled for a technical foul with 27 seconds left. Sharp went to the line, put Maccabi up 6 and the local fans celebrated a perfect regular season at home.

Panathinaikos won the opening tip and took the early lead on Siskauskas's penetration. Tony Delk's jumper made it 4-0 before Vujcic fed Tal Burstein for a triple for Maccabi's first points. Siskauskas and Diamantidis fired in threes and Siskauskas added a hook to put the Greens up 5-12. Demos Dikoudis completed a 0-9 run from the line before Vujcic scored his first points. But a red-hot Siskauskas drilled another triple to establish a 10-point Panathinaikos lead. Sharp's powerful cut in traffic didn’t inspire many anyone as Maccabi remained droopy. Tsartsaris came off the bench for a free throw and then a jumper as the visitors went ahead 10-23. Yaniv Green corrected Halperin's miss in the final minutes to make it 12-24 after 10 minutes.

Dimitrios Diamantidis - PanathinaikosArnold's wild layup a minute-and-a-half into the second period drew an unsportsmanlike foul call as well, which was followed by a Halperin triple that made it 19-24 and awoke the Maccabi crowd. Newcomer Goran Jeretin made his Maccabi debut, but committed fouls on the next two possessions. Becirovic scored for Panathinaikos, but Arnold set up inside with a reverse layup and later a tip-in to cut the gap to 3. Tsartsaris and Halperin swapped threes before Jeretin drew a foul from Milos Vujanic, went to the line and tied the score at 29-29 with his first Maccabi points. Vujcic came back after a lengthy rest and gave Maccabi its first lead from the line and then hit a mid-range jumper to make it 30-33, causing Obradovic to call timeout. Siskauskas came out and fired in a jumper from the top of the key. After Vujcic missed two from the line, Diamantidis made a triple and Tsartsaris dunked in transition for a 0-7 spurt that quieted the arena and ended the half with the visitors on top 33-37.

Both teams came out for the second half somewhat cold, as they missed easy shots and turned the ball over multiple times before Vujcic fed Burstein for a layup after more than 2 minutes. A minute later, Halperin tied the score at 37-37 with a long jumper. Becirovic ended the Greens' 4-minute scoring drought with a jumper and free throws from Diamantidis and Tomasevic increased Panathinaikos's lead to 5. Green scored a three-point play, but Tomasevic and Becirovic came right back with free throws and Vujanic drilled a triple to make it 42-51. Sharp answered with a three, but Fragiskos Alvertis popped one in on the other end to keep the Greek champs up 9. Sharon Shason fouled Vujanic and Maccabi coach Neven Spahija received a technical for arguing. After Vujanic was done at the line, Panathinaikos led 49-59. But Sharp nailed a last-ditch triple to remain in the picture at 52-59 after 30 minutes.

Sharp continued to lead the Maccabi charge as he stole the ball from Vujanic and drew a foul from Dusan Sakota to make two at the line. Will Bynum's first basket of the night cut the gap to 3 and and his first free throws made it 1. Panathinaikos was giving Maccabi every opportunity to win the game, as the visitors remained ice-cold on offense. Vujcic tied the score at 59-59 from the line and on the next play, Burstein was fouled and made two to stretch the run to 9-0 and give the hosts the lead. After another Panathinaikos timeout, Bynum drilled a triple and Obradovic needed a timeout with Maccabi leading 64-59. Diamantidis finally ended a 5-minute drought with a three-point play, but Maccabi was back in charge now. Eliyahu scored a basket-plus-foul on the offensive glass and after a Becirovic jumper, Eliyahu scored once more inside to make it 69-64. But Diamantidis clawed Panathinaikos back with two from the line. But the Greens' offense simply wasn't functioning in the fourth quarter. Becirovic missed a jumper and then committed his fifth foul on Halperin, who made it 72-66 from the line with 2:35 remaining. Diamantidis missed a triple and Vujcic banked one in on the other side to the delight of the crowd. Tomasevic made it 74-70 with 65 seconds on the clock and after a missed Halperin three, Eliyahu swatted what looked like a certain basket for Tomasevic. But Obradovic received a technical foul arguing a call with 27 seconds left and Sharp sealed the win from the line.
Thursday, February 01, 2007
Frankie Sachs, Euroleague.net
Referees: GARCIA ORTIZ, JOSE RAMON (ESP), SAHIN, TOLGA (ITA), BOLTAUZER, MATEJ (SLO)
Attendance: 10500
By Quarter1234
Maccabi Elite12211924
Panathinaikos24132214
End of Quarter1234
Maccabi Elite12335276
Panathinaikos24375973
Head coach: SPAHIJA, NEVEN
Maccabi Elite
# Player Min Pts 2FG
M-A
 3FG
M-A
 FT
M-A
 Rebounds As St To Bl Fouls PIR
O D T Fv Ag Cm Rv
4 BYNUM, WILL 17:30 7 1/3 1/2 2/2 1   1   1       4 2 4
5 FELIX, NOEL DNP - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
6 SHARP, DERRICK 24:45 18 2/3 2/5 8/8   3 3   1 2     4 6 18
7 VUJCIC, NIKOLA 26:45 9 3/7   3/6 2 7 9 4 2 1 1   3 3 17
8 ELIYAHU, LIOR 22:15 7 2/8   3/5 3 3 6   2 1 1   3 3 7
9 ARNOLD, JAMIE 12:00 6 3/6   0/3 1 3 4   1         3 8
10 BURSTEIN, TAL 32:30 9 2/6 1/4 2/4 1 3 4 4 3 2     3 3 9
11 SHASON, SHARON 9:15   0/1 0/2   2   2           2   -3
13 JASAITIS, SIMAS 6:45     0/2   1 2 3     1     1 1  
14 GREEN, YANIV 13:15 8 3/4   2/3 3 3 6 1 1 2     2 3 13
15 JERETIN, GORAN 6:30 2 0/1   2/2       1   1     4 2 -1
21 HALPERIN, YOTAM 28:30 10 1/4 2/6 2/2   1 1 3 2 1   1 3 1 5
Team             1 1   4         1 6
Totals 200:00 76 17/43 6/21 24/35 14 26 40 13 17 11 2 1 29 28 83
39.5% 28.6% 68.6%
Min: Minutes played; Pts: Points; 2FG M-A: 2-point Field Goals (Made-Attempted); 3FG M-A: 3-point Field Goals (Made-Attempted); FT M-A: Free Throws (Made-Attempted); Rebounds: O (Offensive), D (Defensive), T (Total); As: Assists; St: Steals; To: Turnovers; Bl: Blocks (Fv: In Favor / Ag: Against); Fouls: Cm (Commited), Rv (Received); PIR: Performance Index Rating
Head coach: OBRADOVIC, ZELJKO
Panathinaikos
# Player Min Pts 2FG
M-A
 3FG
M-A
 FT
M-A
 Rebounds As St To Bl Fouls PIR
O D T Fv Ag Cm Rv
4 ALVERTIS, FRAGISKOS 9:15 3   1/2                       2
5 DELK, TONY 15:00 3 1/2 0/2 1/2 1   1 1 1 5     2 1 -4
6 PAPANIKOLAOU, DIMITRIOS 10:45     0/2   1 1 2     1     1   -2
7 BECIROVIC, SANI 23:45 12 4/8 0/3 4/4   2 2 2 1 2   1 5 6 8
9 SISKAUSKAS, RAMUNAS 19:15 12 3/4 2/5         2   1 1   4   6
11 DIKOUDIS, DIMOS 7:15 2 0/1   2/2   2 2     1       3 5
12 TSARTSARIS, KOSTAS 22:45 9 2/5 1/1 2/2   11 11 1 2 1     3 4 20
13 DIAMANTIDIS, DIMITRIS 33:45 17 2/5 3/5 4/5 1 2 3 3 2 1     2 5 21
15 TOMASEVIC, DEJAN 30:30 8 1/6   6/8 6 8 14 1 1 3   1 3 5 15
16 SAKOTA, DUSAN 3:00     0/1     1 1           3 1 -2
18 VUJANIC, MILOS 15:30 7   1/2 4/6   1 1 2   2     2 2 5
19 JAVTOKAS, ROBERTAS 9:15       0/2                 2 2 -2
Team           3 6 9   4       1   12
Totals 200:00 73 13/31 8/23 23/31 12 34 46 12 11 17 1 2 28 29 84
41.9% 34.8% 74.2%
This game is not yet played

Head Coaches

SPAHIJA, NEVEN
Maccabi Elite
"Congratulations to our team. We did a great job tonight, especially for the fans who did a great job and helped us a lot. Tongiht we showed a lot of character. We didn't give up when we were 10 points down. We knew we had a chance to win the game. It wasn't easy with all this pressure. We have one night to celebrate and then prepare for the future. Tonight all teams in Euroleague played against the pressure."
OBRADOVIC, ZELJKO
Panathinaikos
"Before the game I said it wasn't important for us because we promised the first place, but it was very important for us in the end. But it is also very important to understand why my team reacted today and why the players played this way with big motivation. Because of two things: First of all because of pressure, that over here every time exist, I don't have any problem with this. This is normal. But it's not normal that referees call under the pressure, this is very bad. And the reaction of my team to win the game was because of this. They are proud people and I'm very proud how they reacted."

Players

SHARP, DERRICK
Maccabi Elite
"It was the best defensive game for us this season. In every game we need to play like this is the last game. We need to keep playing like that and keep our self-confidence like that. I think the fans gave us this win. Everybody did his job. Each one of us won this game. In the second half we played huge defense. It was a team effort. Everybody helped."
TOMASEVIC, DEJAN
Panathinaikos
"It was a tough game, but that's always always the case against Maccabi. We lost the game tonight because we allowed them to come back from the difference we opened in the first quarter. This loss isn't so important for us, because we won the first place a long time ago. Now we need to concenterate on the future games, because these are the important games."
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