10.01.2008 22:28
Panathinaikos win at the Palau (55-56)
Sònia de Alba
AXA Barça lost to Panathinaikos in the final seconds of a classic encounter. A miss in Roger Grimau’s second free throw, which would have tied the game, was followed by a block on Lakovic and a desperate throw from Basile that rebounded off the ring.
Barça’s basketball team came frustratingly close to defeating Panathinaikos, and led by nine
at one point in the second period (29-18). But the Greek outfit fought their way back into it, and
the game eventually came down to the sides’ respective big shooters. AXA Barça could have
tied the game at least, but the ball just did not want to go in.
Only Tsartaris
Dusko Ivanovicis side tackled the game perfectly from tactical point of view, especially in
defence. Not one Panathinaikos shooter found it easy to score, and they worked well to gradually
tire the Greek side. Kostas Tsartaris, however, did shine, and scored three triples in the first
ten minutes. Panathinaikos ended the first period with a one point lead (15-16)
Great defending
But AXA Barça had plenty left, and continued concentrating their efforts on defence. Sarunas
Jasikevicius, who was given a massive ovation by the local crowd when he came on, was unable to
prove his worth because Barça did not want to let him. Nor Diamantidis or Spanoulis. Roger Grimau
did find the room to do some damage and little by little Barça started opening the gap, with the
score at 29-18 a minute and 50 from the break.
Panathinaikos floundered as Barça hit a straight seven, forcing Obradovic to call a time out
that led to Diamantidis replying with five of his own to leave the score at 31-23.
Panathinaikos awaken
Barça’s lead was broken down as the visitors started taking good advantage of some
unforced errors, with Panathinaikos having second, third and even fourth shooting options.
The defending Euroleague champions won the period 13-21 to make it all square going into the
last 10 minutes.
Shots go astray
The final period was the most intense. Both sides were making errors and the pressure was
getting to the men that should have made the difference, with the secondary players coming to the
fore.
Tsartaris finished on 20 points. Roger Grimau stuck home a three pointer to Barça back in
front at 54-52 with two highly strategically minutes to come.
Spanoulis converted a three to make it 54-55. Grimau then fouled Diamantidis, who only made
one of his free throws. At 54-56, AXA Barça had possession and Panathinaikos fouled Grimau. The
captain had to do his job to equalise the game with 7 seconds on the clock, but only scored from
one. Lakovic collected the rebound but it was blocked by Diamantidis. And then Basile stole the
ball, right on the buzzer, but his last ditch effort came off the ring.
AXA Barça lost their first European game at the Palau, but it was a game in which both sides
did the sport proud.
MATCH STATS
AXA FC BARCELONA, 55
PANATHINAIKÒS, 56
AXA FCB: Basile (7), Lakovic (9), Vázquez (4), Acker (4), Kasun (6)
–starting five- Sánchez (2), Trias (2), Marconato (4), Ilyasova (-), Moncasi (-), Grimau (17)
Panathinaikòs:Becirovic (-), Zizic (-), Tsartsaris (20), Diamantidis (8), Winston
(2) – starting five – Alvertis (-), Perperoglou (-), Spanoulis (8), Batiste (4),
Hatzivretas (7), Dikoudis (3), Jasikevicius (4)
Periods: 15-16; 16-7; 13-21; 11-12
Referees: Brazauskas, Belosevic i Viator