Panathinaikos released Mačiulis, Lasme, Bramos, Curry and Ping

Panathinaikos BC announced that the club used the option out in the contracts of Jonas Mačiulis, Stephane Lasme, Mike Bramos, Ramel Curry and Shang Ping. Those five players are now released from the club and are free to negotiate with other teams. Shang Ping was long ago out of the team plans but anyway he became the first Chinese player to win the Greek Championship and the Greek Cup. Panathinaikos may start negotiations with Mike Bramos but not with the rest four players.

Panathinaikos beat Unicaja Malaga for Euroleague Top 16

Panathinaikos hosted and defeated Unicaja Malaga in Athens for Euroleague Top 16. It was a do or die game with the Greens needing the victory to qualify to the next round. Unicaja Malaga took an early lead in score but Panathinaikos made a 5-0 and a 7-0 run, so the first quarter finished with the home team ahead by 7, 17-12. Second quarter was balanced with Malaga lowering the difference to 5 points by the end of the first half. Both teams were bad in three pointers in the first half, 2/10 for Panathinaikos and 2/13 for Malaga. The strong point for Malaga was the offensive rebounds, having 12 in the first half while Panathinaikos had 15 in total. Unicaja Malaga counter attacked in the third quarter and equalized the score in 24th minute, 37-37, but Panathinaikos replied with a 10-0 run and made the score 47-37. Third quarter finished with a three pointer by Loukas Mavrokefalidis that made the score 55-41. In the last quarter Panathinaikos created a difference of 17 points but Malaga with a run lowered the difference to 9 points since the home team was playing with the mind in clock. Panathinaikos won Unicaja Malaga by 69-60 and qualified to the semi-finals of Euroleague. Panathinaikos improved in three pointers and rebounds in the second half, while Malaga finished the game with 3/20 three pointers. For Panathinaikos 11 players scored, all except Giankovits, and Dimitris Diamantidis was the top scorer with 13 points.
Quarters' scores: 19-12, 33-28, 55-41, 69-60.

The captain ready for yet another assist @Euroleague @paobcgr-@unicajaCB pic.twitter.com/1OL7zLIOT3
— Panathinaikos BC (@paobcgr) April 3, 2014

Panathinaikos: Bramos 8, Curry 8, Batiste 3, Fotsis 4, Ukic 7, Lasme 10, Mavrokefalidis 3, Diamantidis 13, Gist 6, Giankovits, Maciulis 5, Wright 2.
Unicaja Malaga: Sabonis 7, Vidal, Urtasun 3, Calloway, Suarez 7, Granger 8, Vazquez 8, Toolson 6, Kuzminskas 2, Dragic 6, Caner-Medley 1, Stimac 12.

Panathinaikos beat Fenerbahçe Ülker for Euroleague TOP 16

Panathinaikos hosted and defeated Fenerbahçe Ülker for Euroleague TOP 16. This was the first game that Obradović played in OAKA Athens as coach of the opponent team, after he left Panathinaikos. Fenerbahçe Ülker won the first game in Istanbul by five points, 77-72, and has also won Olympiacos for the TOP 16  Fenerbahçe started better the game and was leading the score 12-19 in the first quarter, that finished with score 16-19. Panathinaikos balanced the game in the second quarter and the leading of score was changing sides. Half time finished with Panathinaikos leading the score by 4 points, 41-37, with a goal foul scored by Dimitris Diamantidis. Panathinaikos collected 6 more rebounds in the first half but also made 3 more turnovers. In the fist half Zach Wright had 10 points and Mike Batiste 5 rebounds. In the second half Fenerbahçe made a 6-0 run since Panathinaikos didn't score in the first 3 minutes and 20 seconds. Dimitris Diamantidis with a three pointer scored for Panathinaikos and took back the lead in score. Mike Bramos with another three pointer made the score 50-45. Bramos had 4/4 three pointers and 1/1 field goals up to that point. With six consecutive points by Antonis Fotsis Panathinaikos finished third quarter with a lead of 9 points, 58-49. In the fourth quarter Bramos scored his 5th three pointer (5/5 up to that point) and gave his team a lead of 12 points and with his sixth three pointer (6/6) Panathinaikos reached the highest difference +15 (66-51). Fenerbahçe tried to approach Panathinaikos but Dimitris Diamantidis with free throws and Mike Bramos with three pointers secured the victory for Panathinaikos. Panathinaikos won by 9 points and covered the difference of the first game. For Panathinaikos Mike Bramos was the top scorer with 23 points (7/8 three pointers, 1/1 field goals, 4 rebounds). Dimitris Diamantidis had 15 points, 6 rebounds, 6 assists, 4 steals and 11 fouls drawn. Antonis Fotsis had 10 points and 9 rebounds.
Quarters' scores: 16-19, 41-37, 58-49, 76-67.

Respect from the fans... Zeljko Obradovic @Euroleague pic.twitter.com/Ll96WIkRkV
— Panathinaikos BC (@paobcgr) March 20, 2014

Panathinaikos Athens: Bramos 23, Curry, Batiste 2, Fotsis 10, Ukic 8, Lasme 1, Mavrokefalidis 2, Diamantidis 15, Pappas, Giankovits, Maciulis 5, Wright 10.
Fenerbahçe Ülker: McCalebb 6, Jackson 7, Onan 7, Bjelica 9, Mahmutoglu, Kleiza 9, Turkyilmaz, Sekulic 2, Savas, Zoric 4, Bogdanovic 10, Preldzic13.

Panathinaikos beat Ilisiakos for Greek League 21st day

Panathinaikos hosted Ilisiakos for Greek Basket League 21st day. Panathinaikos was counting 11 victories in 11 games against Ilisiakos, a team that is fighting to avoid relegation. Ilisiakos played without DJ Stephens, a big loss for the team. First quarter was a game between the first and the last team of the league. Without tight defense Panathinaikos had 4/6 three pointers. The game was like a training for Panathinaikos and the coach Fragiskos Alvertis made his debut as coach in the Greek League. Diamantidis and Maciulis didn't play so that they will rest for Euroleague games. With 12/28 three pointers Panathinaikos played open against Ilisiakos that approached to 5 points couple minutes before the end but Nikos Pappas secured the victory for his team. Mike Bramos had 17 points, Antonis Fotsis 11 points and 9 rebounds, Nikos Pappas 16 points. For Ilisiakos Courtney Pigram had 14 points, Cheikh Mbodj 12 points and 7 rebounds, Savvas Tzougarakis 12 points and the veteran Nikos Chatzis 8 points and 7 assists.
Quarters' scores: 26-19, 46-35, 67-52, 83-77.

Panathinaikos: Charalampopoulos, Bramos 17, Fotsis 11, Ukic 10, Lasme 10, Mavrokefalidis 4, Diamantidis, Pappas 16, Giankovits 7, Diamantakos, Maciulis, Wright 8.
Ilisiakos: Kafkis 5, Fakopoulidis, Antonakis 9, Chatzis 8, Zoumpos 7, Dorkofikis, Vavatsikos, Ioannou 4, Tzougarakis 12, Mbodj 12, Petrovic 6, Pigram 14.

21st Greek All Star Game results

21st Greek All Star Game results. 

Wheelchair Basketball Game
Nikos Kazantzakis team - Nikos Ksylouris team 47-60
MVP of the Game: Angelos Dimpitouzis (Megas Alexandros 94, Nikos Ksylouris team)
Three pointers contest winner: Atnan Hamadi (Dodekanesos, Nikos Ksylouris team)

Greek Stars - Rest of the World 123-122
Quarters' scores: 33-36, 68-70, 98-101, 123-122
Greek Stars (Markopoulos - Kalafatakis):Mantzaris , Pappas24 (6), Bramos 18, Athinaiou 17(5), Perperoglou, Fotsis 7(1), Printezis, Mavrokefalidis 15, Diamantidis 5(1), Tsiarelis 12(2), Kavvadas 8, Bogris 17.
Rest of the World (Bartzokas -Sfairopoulos): McCollum 14(4), Brown 11(3), Ewing 16, Cooper 6(11 assists), Maciulis 12, Lojeski13(3), Aska 2, Dunston 2, Lasme 17(3), Gist 2, Stephens 19(1), Hurtt 18(2).

MVP of the game: Nikos Pappas (Panathinaikos, Greek Stars) 

Dunk Contest
Winner: Kenny Gabriel (Rethymno Aegean)
Runner up: DJ Stephens (Ilisiakos)

Three pointers Contest
Winner: Saša Vasiljević (Nea Kifisia)
Runer up: Giorgos Dedas (PAOK)

Photos from players' and teams' tweets:

End of WheelChair Basketball All Star Game! Congrats to all pic.twitter.com/sWWNNrtMog
— Christos Lazarou (@ChristosLazarou) March 9, 2014

Selfie me Agorinooo #AllStarGame #kleo pic.twitter.com/JJSBTkzcz5
— John Sinis (@Jsinis31) March 9, 2014

The best family!!!! (Pappas was giving an interview at the same time with the MVP trophy) pic.twitter.com/PUAH39S0gu
— Panathinaikos BC (@paobcgr) March 9, 2014

Panathinaikos lost by Unicaja Malaga for Euroleague Top 16

Panathinaikos lost by Unicaja Malaga for Euroleague Top 16. Panathinaikos had a good first half but was bad in the last quarter and lost its third game in a row. Unicaja Malaga had 15/27 three pointers and 32 rebounds. Panathinaikos with 9/22 three pointers and only 19 rebounds couldn't ask for more. Now Panathinaikos has to win Olympiacos in the next game in order to get back on qualification track.
Quarters' scores: 20-23, 44-42, 61-57, 87-71.

Unicaja Malaga: Sabonis 3, Vidal 4, Urtasun, Suarez, Granger 16, Vazquez 6, Toolson 20, Kuzminskas 5, Dragic 4, Hettsheimeir, Caner-Medley 21, Stimac 8.
Panathinaikos: Bramos 12, Curry 14, Batiste 4, Fotsis 4, Ukic, Lasme 10, Mavrokefalidis 4, Diamantidis 10, Gist, Pappas, Giankovits, Mačiulis 13.

Panathinaikos defeated Crvena Zvezda for Euroleague

Panathinaikos hosted and defeated Crvena Zvezda for Euroleague. This was the second win for Panathinaikos against Red Star for Euroleague, after winning in extra time in Beograd. Panathinaikos was following in the score in the beginning of the game but couldn't stand another defeat. With Ramel Curry the Greek team managed and took the lead 37-34. James Gist was the next to keep Panathinaikos in game until Mike Bramos finished the game in the end. Difficult victory for Panathinaikos but still a victory. Jonas Mačiulis was injured in the game and will loose next games of Panathinaikos.
 Quarters' scores: 20-21, 37-34, 53-48, 69-63.

Panathinaikos: Bramos 8, Curry 16, Batiste 8, Fotsis, Ukić 4, Lasme 2, Mavrokefalidis 4, Diamantidis 4, Gist 15, Giankovits, Mačiulis 8.
Crvena zvezda: Cvetković, Lazić 3, Blažič, Simonović 2, Marjanović 8, Radenović 6, Katić 13, Nelson 16, Jenkins 5, Schilb 10.

Panathinaikos defeats Laboral Kutxa in Nicosia for Euroleague second day

Panathinaikos hosted and defeated Laboral Kutxa in Nicosia, Cyprus for Euroleague second day. The game was sold out since Cypriot fans were able to watch a Euroleague game for the first time in Nicosia. Panathinaikos lost in first day from Lietuvos Rytas and was looking for its first victory. Roko Leni Ukić had debuted in Euroleague with Laboral Vitoria in 2005-2006. Ukić, Diamantidis, Mačiulis, Gist and Lasme were the starting five for Panathinaikos. First quarter started with one three pointer and two steals from Jonas Mačiulis. Panathinaikos had 8/18 three pointers in the first 13 minutes, great offensive game. First half ended with score 50-35. Panathinaikos had 8/13 two pointers, 10/22 three pointers and 16 assists. The game continue with massive Panathinaikos in offense which Laboral Kutxa couldn't follow. Panathinaikos finished the game with some records. 31 assists in one game equalized Euroleague record which holds Maccabi Tel Aviv since 2003-2004. Also Panathinaikos equalized the second more successful three pointers with 18 in one game. Mike Bramos finished the game with 7/11 three pointers. Laboral Kutxa played with 8 players which was a great disadvantage.
Quarters' scores: 26-16, 50-35, 77-56, 95-74.

Panathinaikos: Bramos 21, Curry 15, Batiste 5, Fotsis 8, Ukić 6, Lasme 9, Mavrokefalidis 2, 

Diamantidis 9, Gist 8, Pappas, Giankovits 3, Mačiulis 9.

Laboral Kutxa: Nocioni 23, Van Oostrum 1, Diop, Hodge 15, Pleiss 10, Heurtel 5, Jelinek 17, Causer 3.