Olympiacos sweeps to Greek league title

Olympiacos Piraeus bested great rival Panathinaikos Athens in Game 3 of the Greek A1 finals to sweep the championship series and win an eleventh title. This seasons beaten Euroleague finalists have looked superior throughout and a 93-74 win capped what has been a surprisingly comfortable finals series for the Piraeus giant.

As for Panathinaikos, there is consolation to be taken. Firstly, changes to the team roster meant this was likely to be a season of transition, and so it proved as The Greens had their worst campaign since the 1997-1998 season.
Making the finals will feel a hollow victory though as the Athens juggernaut was dismantled by Olympiacos at times, at least Panathinaikos fans can still lay claim to the winningest club in Greek history (34 league titles).

The finals really have been a no contest though and Olympiacos used Game 3 to emphasize the current gap between the teams. The Legends from Piraeus won just its second title since 1998 and its second in the last four seasons, repeating 2012’s triumph.

With home support, Olympiacos managed to edge a rather nervy opening quarter, taking a slender 16-12 lead through the first break. The hosts looked far more assured at the bucket in the second frame and drained in 35 points. Panathinaikos upped the scoring too with 27 points, but The Greens trailed 51-39 through the midway period. Olympiacos continued to dominate in the third act, using a 24-19 run to extend the deficit to 75-58 through thirty minutes. In the fourth quarter the hosts finished off the defending champs with a winning period that sealed the title for this year.

Vassilis Spanoulis had a vintage game as the playmaker piled in a game high 23 points and provided 5 assists. Georgios Printezis followed with 12 points and 6 rebounds, while Matt Lojeski managed 11 points and Othello Hunter 10 points and 7 boards.

Vladimir Jankovic paced Panathinaikos with 17 points, followed by 14 points from Loukas Mavrokefilidis with 14 points and Antonis Fotsis with 11 points and 7 caroms. A.J. Slaughter and the returning Esteban Batista both nailed 10 apiece.