By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
Dominic Waters and Jerel McNeal combined for 42 points as Aris refused to fall prey to Panathinaikos, winning the third semifinal game 77 – 68 and making the 2-1 in series.
The team from Thessaloniki exceptionally targeted all defensive inconsistencies of its opponents, and forced them into making almost twice their turnovers (8 vs 15) preventing the sweep from happening in a packed “Nick Galis” hall.
Panathinaikos could not stop Dominic Waters who was the top performer of his team with 21 points (with great shooting of 9/13 from the field), 4 rebounds, 4 assists, “killing” his opponents with his jump shots, and not only. Jerel McNeal also added 21 points.
The hosts first took the lead early in the second quarter of the game and never lost it until the end, as with the absence of Nick Calathes, the Greens lacked creative options that would possibly empower their weak offensive game. Miroslav Radjulica scored 14 points and Dimitris Diamantidis added 11, plus 5 assists, for Panathinaikos.