An easy and simple 1-0
From the beginning of the game, Olympiacos imposed its rhythm and never let any margin to PAOK. The “reds” led 14-0 at 3’14’’ and completed an easy … stroll till the end.
Olympiacos edged PAOK 81-53 and made 1-0 in a series with Pero Antic and Vassilis Spanoulis leading their team mates.
The two teams are going to meet again on Saturday in Pilea (18:00).
The quarters: 34-6, 57-21, 72-37, 81-53
Οlympiacos (Ivkovic): Hines 4, Law, 4, Antic 18 (4/4 3p., 9 reb.), Spanoulis 12 (3/4 3p., 4 as.), Vassilopoulos 4, Dorsey 6, Κeselj 4, Gecevicius 3 (1), Printezis 10 (2), Papanikolaou 7 (1), Μantzaris 4, Sloukas 5 (13p., 7 as.)
PAOK (Μarkopoulos): Bojovic 4, Stiggers 3 (1), Arapis 2, Aleksic 6 (1), Duvnjak 1, Ntikoudis 10, Pettway, Pappas 6, Giannakidis 3 (1), Κalles 7, Κalampakas 7 (1), Τsakaleris 4.
DUSAN IVKOVIC: It was a game with two entirely different halves. We had good reactions in the first one and we controlled the game. We weren’t as good in the second one and as far as I’m concerned, the young players should be keeping the rhythm and remain focused. It takes seriousness. We began well, but the game in Thessaloniki is going to be a completely different one. There are critical games coming up in the play-offs and in the Final Four and that’s why we need to be serious and try to win the second game.
ΚYLE HINES: We made the first step to achieve our goal. We are going back to working tomorrow to prepare so that we can finish the job on Saturday.
ΚOSTAS SLOUKAS: The break of the League has been a long one; we showed to be ready and made a fair win. We look at one game at a time and we now have a difficult game in Pilea. We want to play well, improve and play smart and as a team.
SOULIS MARKOPOULOS: Congratulations to Olympiacos. They won very comfortably. They entered the game very strongly and secured a lead that was always getting wider during the first half. We hadn’t played for 25 days, a very long break. We got surprised and never got in the game. Olympiacos has a good and ready team to challenge the European trophy. We got better in the second half and that’s what I’m keeping. We are going to try and be better on Saturday.
THEMIS TSAKALERIS: We got prepared for a very difficult game because we know who Olympiacos are. We did not do anything from what we had planned in the first half. We tried in the second one, but they were already too far ahead.