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Panathinaikos OPAP’s effort at the Palau Blaugrana was amazing, it brought Barcelona to a turning point, but it was the Blaugrana who finally smiled (97-89). Leonidas Kaselakis was the one who gave the … second chance to the clover with 3/3 shots at 7.6 ” by the end of regular time, but in the extra five minutes the Saronas Yasikevitsios players fired big shots and the shots, to arrive in the final dominance.
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In all, the clover lost at the end of the first period to Kiefer Sykes with an injury problem (heel). Something similar happened to Barcelona, with Alex Abrines suffering a sprain.
Read how the Euroleague rankings have been formed after the matches on Thursday, October 15
The MVP
Corey Higgins was the one who helped Barcelona change from -11 in the third period, keeping his team upright at the point where the greens seemed to press the gas. However, above all, at the end of regulation time and in extra time, he made great shots and shots, which kept the Blaugrana in a leading position until the final. Statistically, he had 24 points (with 5/12 two points, 2/6 three points, 8/8 shots, 7 rebounds, 5 assists and 1 error in 32’47 ” participation.
THE WEAK LINK
The entire Panathinaikos OPAP front, with the exception of Dino Mitoglou. The greens had a big problem against the bodies of Barcelona, being the international striker / center-back the only one who won battles, either at “4” or “5”. He had a double-double (16 points, 12 rebounds) in 34’27 ” of participation, while everyone else had 4 points from 2/4 shots, 3 rebounds, 2 assists, 6 errors, 6 fouls in 30 minutes of participation (total).
THE STATISTICS THAT stood out
Giorgos Vovoras got 72 points from four players (Marcus Foster, Nemanja Nedovic, Dinos Mitoglou, Howard Sand Ross), but few (17) of the other seven who hit the ground.
THE RACE
The start of Panathinaikos OPAP was not only good, it was impressive. With great defenses and excellent selections in attack, the greens quickly reached +11 (4-15 in 6 ‘), with Saronas Yassikevitsios breaking on his board and calling for a timeout. Nick Kalathis’ entry to the ground was deemed imperative, with the former club boss notably undermining Barcelona’s image.
To such an extent that -8 (10-18 in 7 ‘) became +3 (21-18 in 12’) for the hosts, who, for their part, lost Alex Abrines due to an injury problem (sprain). However, from the moment Marcus Foster was hot, Panathinaikos OPAP did not lose control of the situation. The explosive guard returned to the green five, hit two consecutive baskets and with 16 points (with 6/6 shots and 2/2 shots) in the middle of the second half, he took the game to “X” (24-24 in 14 ‘) .
The first half ended with the Blaugrana with a narrow advantage (36-35) and Nick Kalathis counting 2/2 three points, at the same time that Giorgos Vovoras’s players had 2/13 behind the 6m75 line.
The same scenario with the first period unfolded in the third, with the clover scoring seven consecutive points in a minute and a half, reaching +6 (36-42) and forcing Saronas Yassikevitsios to call an immediate time-out. The Greens found their rhythm, in fact they scored three consecutive triples and met for the second time at +11 (44-55) with just under four minutes to go in ten minutes.
Very quickly, thanks to the executive ability of Corey Higgins, Barcelona brought the game in perfect balance (58-58) to enter the fourth period, which had an impressive development.
With an unimpressive bra de fer, the advantage changed hands many times, with Barcelona reaching +3 (71-68) at 2’13 ” for the final. George Vovoras called for a time-out, the minds of his players cleared and thus the greens had a chance to claim victory in the final. To succeed, of course, the decision was made to … no fault on the part of Barcelona.
With the difference of +3 (75-72) in 17.6 ” to the final, Leonidas Kaselakis won the free kick and went to the line for three shots. He had 3/3 and sent the game in the extra five minutes.
There, the Blaugrana showed pluralism in the forms and execution options, scored three points in the first two minutes of extra time and quickly gained a safety advantage. This was not contested until the final, despite the ambitious efforts of the Giorgos Vovoras players, with Nemanja Nedovic and Howard Sand Ross hitting two great triples. Barcelona took the victory (97-89), leaving a bittersweet taste in the Panathinaikos OPAP, which -for their performance- shone, but could not celebrate a huge -in all respects- away victory.
Referees: Lamonika – Latisevs – Vilius.
The ten minutes: 13-18, 36-35, 58-58, 75-75, 97-89.
BARCELONA (Jasikevicius): Davis 20 (7/8 two points, 6/6 shots, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals, 5 errors), Hanga 6 (2), Bolmaro, Smith 4, Hertel 7 (1), Pustovi 1 , Oriola 6 (3/5 two points, 6 rebounds), Abrines, Higgins 24 (5/12 two points, 2/6 three points, 8/8 shots, 7 rebounds, 5 assists), Martínez 1, Kuric 14 (4 / 6 three points, 2/2 shots, 4 rebounds), Kalathis 14 (1/3 two points, 4/9 three points, 5 rebounds, 6 assists, 3 errors).
PANATHINAIKOS (Vovoras): Papagiannis 2 (3 blocks), Aug. 2, Papapetrou 8 (3/9 shots), Kaselakis 5 (1/1 two points, 3/5 shots, 4 rebounds, 2 assists), Foster 24 (5 / 11 two points), 4/7 triples, 2/2 shots, 3 assists, 2 steals), Nedovic 15 (5/9 triples, 5 rebounds, 4 assists), Sikes, White, Mitoglou 16 (3/5 of two points , 1/4 3s, 7/8 shots, 12 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals), Bentley, Saint-Ross 17 (2/5 two points, 4/8 three points, 1/2 shots, 5 assists).
Barcelona team statistics: 19/36 two points, 13/31 three points, 20/24 shots, 40 rebounds (30 defensive – 10 offensive), 21 assists, 3 steals, 2 blocks, 16 errors.
Panathinaikos team stats: 16/35 two points, 14/37 three points, 15/19 shots, 30 rebounds (21 defensive – 9 offensive), 22 assists, 6 steals, 4 blocks, 12 errors.
Photo credits: Eurokinissi
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