|
|
Greek League playoffs, quarterfinals, Game 1: Μay 9-13, 2007 |
After a week full of celebrations and with only two practices, newly crowned Euroleague champion Panathinaikos returned on the court and started its journey through the Greek League playoffs, with a 66-58 win over Maroussi at home. Panathinaikos now leads the best-of-three quarterfinals series 1-0. Meanwhile, two other teams have already punched their tickets to the semis with quarterfinal sweeps. Aris TT Bank Thessaloníki ousted Olympia Larissa and Panionios sent Panellinios home. Olympiacos leads PAOK after one game and like Panathinaikos, will play Game 2 on Tuesday.
Panathinaikos, who have also lifted the Greek Cup this season, have never before won the Euroleague, Greek Cup and Greek League championship in the same season. With the triple crown as their target, the Greens managed to beat Maroussi 66-58 at Athens Olympic Indoor Hall (OAKA) despite struggling to find its rhythm on offence. Milos Vujanic scored 13 points, Ramunas Siskauskas added 9 points and Nikos Chatzivrettas and Kostas Tsartsaris had 8 points each. Euroleague Final Four MVP Dimitris Diamantidis finished the game with 3 points, 5 boards and 4 assists. Danya Abrams led Maroussi with 19 points and 9 rebounds, while Filippos Symeonidis had 9 points and Christoforos Stfeanidis 8 points. Olympiacos didn’t have serious problems in beating PAOK at home 85-76. Henry Domercant led the Reds with 16 points, while Arvydas Macijauskas bagged 15 points, 5 boards and 2 assists, Andrja Zizic added 15 and Alex Acker 14 points. Vlado Scpenaovic scored 19 points for PAOK, while C.J. Watson and Lazaros Agadakos added 11 points apiece.
Aris qualified for the semis by sweeping Olympia Larissa. The Yellows beat Olympia in Thessaloniki 82-68 in Game 1 as Terrel Castle scored 19 points, Dimitris Tsaldaris added 13 and Simonas Serapinas 11. For the visitors, Vladimir Krstic, Giorgos Printezis and Giorgos Trihopoulos scored 11 points apiece. Aris downed Olympia 72-82 in overtime in Game 2. The teams were tied at 67-67 at the end of regulation. Jeremiah Massey led the winners with 21 points and 6 boards, Dimitris Tsaldaris added 18 points, Simonas Serapinas 15 and Mike Wilkinson had 12 points and 7 rebounds. Nikos Tsiaras bagged 14 points for Olympia, which played both games without its big star Mat Walsh.
Panionios also made it to the semifinals with a seep over Panellinios and now they are waiting for the winner of the Panathinaikos-Maroussi series. In the first game, the team from Nea Smirni won 78-72 at home as Stratos Perperoglou scored 17 points. Andre Hutson bagged 16 points and grabbed 9 boards and Kennedy Winston added 15 points for the hosts, while Mamadou N’Diaye led Panellinios with 14 points and 7 boards. In the second game, Panionios played a great defense and beat Panellinios 54-67, led by Hutson with 18 points and 9 boards. For Panellinios, Giannis Georgalis and Mamadou N’Diaye scored 11 points apiece.
GREEK LEAGUE: Quarterfinal Playoffs, best of 3 games |
| Record | Team | Game 1 | Game 2 | Game 3 | 1 | Panathinaikos (1) | 66 | May 15 | May 17* | 0 | Maroussi (8) | 58 | | | 2 | Panionios Forthnet (4) | 78 | 67 | x | 0 | Panellinios (5) | 72 | 54 | x | 2 | Aris TT Bank (2) | 82 | 82 | x | 0 | Olympia Larisas (7) | 68 | 72 | x | 1 | Olympiacos (3) | 85 | May 15 | May 17* | 0 | PAOK (6) | 76 | | |
Quarterfinal Playoffs Games | | Game 1 | Panathinaikos vs. Maroussi | 66-58 | May 13 | | Game 1 | Aris TT Bank vs. Olympia Larisas | 82-68 | May 9 | | Game 1 | Olympiacos vs. PAOK | 85-76 | May 12 | | Game 1 | Panionios Forthnet vs. Panellinios | 78-72 | May 9 | | Game 2 | Maroussi vs. Panathinaikos | - | May 15 | | Game 2 | Olympia Larisas vs. Aris TT Bank | 72-82 | May 12 | | Game 2 | PAOK vs. Olympiacos | - | May 15 | | Game 2 | Panellinios vs. Panionios Forthnet | 54-67 | May 12 | | Game 3 | Panathinaikos vs. Maroussi | - | May 17* | | Game 3 | Olympiacos vs. PAOK | - | May 17* |
|
Sunday, May 13, 2007
|
Vassilis Skountis, Athens |
|