A near … stroke, but an actual 2-0
With a three by Kostas Papanikolaou, Olympiacos 'bent' the strong resistance of Prometheus, won 89-88 and now leads the semis 2-0. The next game between the two teams is going to be played on Tuesday (29/05, 19.30 CET) in Patrai and in case of victory our team will be qualifying for the finals.
Led by Vassilis Spanoulis, Olympiacos was leading at 3' with +10 (12-2), however, the guests run a partial 9-3 to close in at 3p. (14-11). The Sfairopoulos players immediately replied… Using their good perimeter percentages to their advantage (they had 5/7 threes in the first quarter) and their good defense, run a 15-0 streak and got to lead with 18p. (29-11, at 8'). Hence the 'reds' maintained complete control of the game (they were leading by +19, 49-30 at 18' following a bucket by Printezis) and went to the locker rooms for the half time break with a 55-38 score.
A three by Papapetrou allowed Olympiacos to increase the distance even further (22p., 60-38, at 21'). However, our team suffered an offensive black out and allowed Prometheus to close in at 8p. (62-54 at 24'). Vassilis Spanoulis and Janis Strelnieks 'struck' from the 6.75m line and increased the difference to +14 (70-56), nevertheless, the Patrai team didn't seem willing to give up the fight…
Taking advantage of the poor offensive choices made by the 'reds' as well as gaps in the defense, they turned the game around and even led by 6p. (76-82, at 35'). A three by Brian Roberts and a lay up by Spanoulis tied the game for Olympiacos (82-82 at 37') and hence the game became a first class derby…
With 31'' to go, Prather made the score 86-88 for Prometheus, while with 13.5'' on the clock, Kostas Papanikolaou gave our team the victory with a three at the buzzer (89-88), since during the last defensive play of the game, our team player hid the basket from the opponent!
The quarters: 31-17, 55-38, 74-64, 89-88
Οlympiacos (Sfairopoulos): Papapetrou 7(1), Spanoulis 20 (3 3p., 7 as.), Roberts 10(2), Bogris 6, Wiltjer 9(1), ΜcLean 5, Brown 5(1), Μilutinov, Strelnieks 7(1), Printezis 13(1), Papanikolaou 7 (1 3p., 7 reb.), Μantzaris.
Prometheus P. (Giatras): Gkikas 2 , Faye 17(3), Saloustros 11(2), Prather 22, Ellis 2, Lipovyy 12 (3), Tountziarakis 7, Hall 15(1)
«It was a good lesson»
Giannis Sfairopoulos commented: "Today we showed two different faces. We completely controlled the game in the first half with good defense, good ball movement, pluralism, playing good basketball. In the second half, despite having talked about improving our game because we could be doing it and despite getting our biggest difference in the beginning of the second half, we missed some easy buckets, some lay ups, shots and this caused us to become agitated. We received many easy baskets in the transition which is unacceptable for our level and the game only normally turned around. We were going point by point at the end. They built a small difference, that's when Roberts made a big shot and Spanoulis took 2 or 3 shots one on one and scored… Nevertheless, our defense was easily receiving baskets and the game was a derby. We showed our determination and poise at the end stealing the ball and having Papanikolaou making this big three. We are now leading 2-0. It's a playoffs game, but it taught us a good lesson. We need to learn that we need to last into the game and be focused for 40 minutes".
Asked on whether the easy victory in the first game disoriented his players, he replied… "The way the first game went, the way the first half tonight went, created a trap in everyone's minds that it was going to be another easy evening. However, it's not chance that brought Prometheus to the third place of the regular season. I think that feeling very sure about ourselves and then getting upset over easy baskets that wouldn't go in, created easy score for our opponent and this cost us on both ends of the floor. I think however that what played a bigger role was how sure we had become that it was going to be an easy mission given the first game and the first half of tonight's game".