Olimpia wanted to prove to be alive and well, that it was not here in Athens just to play the role of the designated victim. Even though it didn’t win, losing 80-75 on free throws, three-pointers, and tactical fouls at the end and wasn’t even lucky, it’s hard to imagine it could have done better against a Panathinaikos team at full strength for the first time and boasting an imposing physical structure. Olimpia wanted to try and stay in the game, stay close to the end. It did much more: Milano started well, fell down by 12 and responded, came back, turned momentum around, and led until the final possession, the last shot that could have sent the game to overtime. They dug deep, turning the rebounding battle around between the two halves, demanding extreme physical sacrifice from Ousmane Diop. Olimpia probably deserved to leave Oaka with the win; all they have is the honor of a moral victory and also positive signs for the future.

Devin Booker

THE FIRST QUARTER – Panathinaikos started the gane with a huge, big starting lineup, with Hayes-Davis at the 3, Yabusele at the 4, and Fall, 2.21 meters tall, establish himself under the basket. The decision was to feed Fall’s post-up game. The result was a Wright foul, four Fall points, but also three steals from Milano on double teams in the paint or on overplaying lob attempts. Olimpia thus scored six points on fastbreaks, four from Wright. RJ Cole then scored twice, including a three-point play, and Booker scored from mid-range to give Olimpia a 19-18 lead in a first quarter that was well-played. Four of Panathinaikos’ five turnovers were steals.

THE SECOND QUARTER – Panathinaikos’ physical superiority took over the game in the second quarter, on top of taking advantage of the scoring skills of Hernangomez and Nunn, and even more of the offensive rebounds (11 in the first half). From 22-18 Olimpia, the run was 18-3. After calling two timeouts, Coach Poeta adjusted the team’s structure, playing Bookerat the 4 alongside Ousmane Diop to increase the physicality. Olimpia, down by 12, responded with Booker’s inside game (4 of 4 from the line after drawing fouls and an assist on a double-team) and two three-pointers mad eby Devon Hall, reducing the margin considerably, 40-37 at the half.

THE THIRD QUARTER – Coach Poeta went with Diop and Booker in the second half starting line-up. Suddenly the rebounding battle changes hands. A  jumper made by Cole from the free-throw line and then five straight points from Bolmaro turned the game around, forcing Obradovic to call an emergency timeout. Playing for over eight minutes with two centers and incredible intensity, Olimpia held one- and two-possession leads (the overall run, including the second quarter, was 19-3) until Kendrick Nunn’s three-point play restored Panathinaikos’ lead. Darius Thompson responded with five straight points to make it 61-60 Olimpia.

THE FOURTH QUARTER – A back-and-forth battle took place with Olimpia capable of turning the game around on the offensive rebounds, with Diop at times amazing at taking positions down low. After Booker’s fifth foul, Poeta played with Wright and Diop. Then Diop’s fifth foul also happened, and Olimpia found itself once again exposed under the basket for the final possessions. Yet they played to the end, overcoming the deficit with a three-pointer made by Cole inside the final minute. Olimpia defended strongly on the key possession, but a up for grabs rebound off a Lessort close miss – an inteference was called – gave Panathinaikos the lead for good. Olimpia attempted to respond with Hall but was unsuccessful. At that point, Panathinaikos prevailed 80-75 after Mathews also had a last-ditch chance to tie the game from the corner.

RJ Cole

THE TURNING POINT – Diop’s over 14 minutes on the court had a +18 plus/minus. His fifth foul occurred shortly after Booker’s, leaving Olimpia without the possibility of closing the game with the configuration that had changed it in the second half, with two centers against the opponent’s size.

THE STAT – Panathinaikos grabbed 11 offensive rebounds in the first half but inly four in the second when Olimpia tried to take control of the game implementi a two-center line-up. Striking was also the difference in free throw attempts, 36 to 18.

NEXT UP – Olimpia is staying in Athens and on Friday night will face Olympiacos before coming back to Italy and face Cantù on Monday night.

Leandro Bolmaro