By Lefteris Moutis/ moutis@eurohoops.net
The team which was more ready got the win in Greek cup quarterfinal at the empty due to punishment OAKA. And that team proved to be Panathinaikos, despite missing four players, injured Gist, Charalampopoulos, Nelson and Mavrokefalidis and also the Green fans. Nikos Pappas had 19 points for the winners, Dimitris Diamantidis made the two biggest plays of the night and Esteban Batista decided the final 77-76 with an almost buzzer beater dunk.
The Greens started the game with a 14-4 run, but at the end of the first quarter their lead was just three points (17-14). Τhe guests with their own 13-0 run during the first minutes of the third period got a 12 points advantage (45-33). Panathinaikos cut the lead to three in three separate occasions (62-58, 70-66, 72-68) during the last quarter and finally Diamantidis tied the score at 75 with 16 seconds to go. Sloukas was fouled, he made 1/2 free throws and Diamantidis created the assist that gave Batista the chance to score in transition.
Not only a shocking defeat, but also big problem for the start of the season for the Reds. George Printezis will undergo arthroscopy to repair a foot problem and he will miss the first month of action.
Ιn the other three quarterfinals PAOK beat KAOD (88-63), AENK prevailed over Aris (73-79) and Apollon Patras beat Panionios (81-63). The winners of the knock out games qualified to the quarterfinals.