Panathinaikos advanced to the 2012 Final Four after edging Maccabi Electra 86-85 to win the series 3-2.
And it had to be Dimitris Diamantidis that settled it once and for all, as he led the Greens with 25 points which included the crucial free-throw and game-winning steal in the last five seconds to deny Maccabi. The Euroleague Finals MVP has a habit of performing at his best in the big game situations and this game was no different. He went to the line 18 times and converted 15 of them, a new Euroleague playoffs record.
“Details decided the winner, and also Dimitris Diamantidis who is my… nemesis,” Maccabi coach David Blatt said. “I like him as a person, but I don’t want to see him in front of me in the future. He is a great player. He was named the 2011 MVP and he can do it again. Big players show up in crucial games. I would like to lock him in his hotel room.”
Panathinaikos now head to Istanbul to face CSKA Moscow in the Final Four next month, but they go to Turkey with the rare tag of underdogs on them against the pre-tournament favourites.
Make no mistake though, with Diamantidis on your team, in a big game, anything can happen.
This was undoubtedly one of the great Euroleague series. A classic encounter between two of Europe’s top basketball clubs and with the exception of the 93-73 game one blowout that Panathinaikos won, the remaining four games were a definition of great tactics, precision shooting, first class fundementals but more importantly, for the fans: Either team could of won it.
“It was the epitome of a basketball thriller and I am not talking only about game five, but the whole series” said Panathinaikos’ Kostas Kaimakoglou. “We are very happy and proud of what we have done, but we cannot celebrate due to the unbelievable pressure we suffered in the last 16 days.”
Panathinaikos can now defend their title in Istanbul and they could face the possibility of facing bitter rivals Olympiacos in Istanbul in either the 3rd/4th place game or better yet, the final.
The hosts nearly blew it though, they led for the majority of the game after trailing 20-18 at the end of the first, Sarunas Jasikevicius, who scored 13 points hit a triple to give Panathinaikos a 37-28 lead, as they hit a higher gear in the second quarter. Devin Smith replied for the visitors but the veteran Lithuanian hit again as he gave the hosts a 41-32 lead at the half.
After Stratos Perperoglou, who scored nine points gave Pana its first double-digit lead with the first play of the second half, the third period started a few scoring runs, beginning with a 12-0 run for Maccabi, which was capped by a pair of threes by Yogev Ohayon which tied the score at 46.
The 18,000 inside the OAKA for the first time, fell silent. Their heroes were losing control and coach Zeljko Obradovic had no choice but to call a halt and have a chat with his troops.
Panathinaikos responded with a 7-0 run of their own which was highlighted by a three-pointer from Kaimakoglou as they led 62-53 heading to the final quarter.
Maccabi were everywhere, desperately trying to save their Euroleague lives, winning the last ten minutes 32-24, but it wasn’t to be.
