By Aris Barkas/ barkas@eurohoops.net
Olympiacos is the back to back Euroleague champion, but at OAKA, Panathinaikos prevailed for the third time this season. It was a close game and in the end the Greens got the 66-62 win, a score decided at the free throws line. Stephan Lasme was the key with 18 points and great defensive presence in the paint. Olympiacos missed three threepointers in the last 1,5 minute of the game, two by Spanoulis and one by Printezis. The Reds had one last shot to get the win with the score while trailing by two (63-61) with 21 seconds left, but Matt Lojeski missed the shot which could send the game to overtime.
Both Greek teams are tied at 4-3 and they also have the company of EA7 Milano, which beat Unicaja (3-4) 70-59 behind 29 points by Keith Langford. That result created a three way tie in the second spot of Group E and made next week’s visit of Panathinaikos to Italy more than interesting.
In Vitoria, Lamar Odom was presented at the gym of Laboral Kutxa (1-6), but without him – because he is not yet eligible to play due to Euroleague regulations – his team lost to unbeaten Barcelona (7-0) by 12 points (80-68). Ante Tomic with 24 points and 9 rebounds was a juggernaut in the paint.
For Group F, Galatasaray (3-4) got the 78-70 road win at Belgrade against feisty but shorthanded Partizan (1-6). Henry Domercant had his best game for this season with 18 points, even with 4/11 threes.