Woeful Panathinaikos thrashed by slick CSKA
 

EUROLEAGUE REGULAR SEASON - ROUND 28

A woeful Panathinaikos side suffered a thumping 97-66 loss to CSKA Moscow in Athens in the EuroLeague regular season.

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Panathinaikos’ playoff hopes are rapidly diminishing. On the back of a bitterly disappointing derby loss to Olympiacos, the Athenians contrived to concede their fourth consecutive defeat in the competition, as CSKA Moscow comfortably picked their toothless Greek hosts apart at the OAKA Indoor Hall. 

CSKA, the reigning EuroLeague champions, sit in fifth position of the regular season standings with 19 victories and nine losses, and Dimitris Itoudis’ men have now secured their playoff berth. Panathinaikos, on the other hand, hold a 14-14 record in a distant sixth spot with the likes of Fenerbahce, Khimki and Olympiacos on the brink of overtaking them. 

Only Deshaun Thomas (12) and Nick Calathes (10) reached double digits in terms of points for Panathinaikos.

Darrun Hilliard (21 points) and Mike James (18 points), the ex-Panathinaikos star, took a leading role for CSKA. Kyle Hines also caught the eye with 13 points and eight rebounds.

Next week, Panathinaikos face a daunting trip to direct playoff rivals Fenerbahce, while CSKA will host ALBA Berlin in Moscow.

THE MATCH

Making a purposeful start, the two teams came flying out of the blocks at the OAKA, especially CSKA as Johannes Voigtmann and Howard Sant-Roos, formerly of AEK, drained successive three-pointers.

Calathes converted a three-point play to draw Panathinaikos level at 17-17.

Nevertheless, as the period progressed, CSKA began bossing proceedings as Panathinaikos were punished for slack defensive play. James, in great form, scored from behind the arc and drew a foul when netting a lay-up to put CSKA up by 10. A visibly angry Rick Pitino promptly called for a time-out.

Hines got a layup to go on the buzzer, while being fouled in the process, to ensure that CSKA held a 10-point advantage after the opening quarter.

The second period began with Ioannis Papapetrou furiously kicking a water bottle as he displayed his annoyance at being substituted.

Panathinaikos, beginning to play at a higher tempo, made a positive start to the frame with Ian Vougioukas cutting the deficit to six points.

Moments later, Calathes had a golden opportunity to get the OAKA rocking, but he was denied by a powerful block from Joel Bolomboy.

Hilliard then scored an important three-pointer to hand the Russians an 11-point buffer after Panathinaikos had missed several chances to close the gap with desperately poor shooting.

Daniel Hackett, known to the Panathinaikos faithful after his days at Olympiacos, scored from distance to make it 40-26 for the slick Russians who were making full use of panicky, frustrated play from their opponents.

Greek center Kosta Koufos knocked down a strong dunk to put CSKA in the box seat again after Panathinaikos, with Calathes in the thick of the action, had scored five unanswered points. The Russian giants saw out the frame to lead 48-38.

CSKA, competing with confidence and belief, conjured up a blistering start to the third quarter.

Possessing too much skill for the Panathinaikos defence, the impressive James hooked a lay-up in while drawing a foul, and the gifted American subsequently thumped an emphatic dunk in to extend CSKA’s advantage to 18. Papapetrou felt that he had been fouled in the build-up.

Panathinaikos weren’t prepared to give up, though. As the fans inside the OAKA finally started to generate some noise, the Prasini got back to within 11, with Wesley Johnson netting two free-throws after CSKA had earlier been beaten by the shot clock.

Tyrese Rice had a wonderful chance to reduce the deficit to nine. However, he missed when taking aim on the break, and Hilliard scored a three-pointer at the other end for CSKA. A pivotal moment which firmly swung the pendulum in CSKA’s favour.

CSKA, in complete control of the game, finished the stanza with a commanding 65-51 lead.

The Moscow representatives led by 20 for the first time in the maiden stages of the fourth quarter when Nikita Kurbanov forced Panathinaikos to foul when shooting off balance.

Boos began to soundly ring out in the arena as CSKA, ripping a lifeless Panathinaikos team apart in defence, started to run away with the match.

In truth, the fourth period resembled nothing more than a mere training session for CSKA, with Panathinaikos miserably falling apart at the seams. 

HIGHLIGHTS

by Shaun Nicolaides

Image Source: to10.gr

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