Panathinaikos now 13-0 in Greek A1
Panathinaikos Athens prevailed over AE Nea Kifisia Athens, 73-67 in a derby game that closed out Round 13 of the regular season in the Greek A1 league. This marks the 13th win for the league-leading Panathinaikos which retains its dominant position in the league. They are the last remaining undefeated team and show no signs of slowing down. The Greek A1 is a fiercely competitive league and by no means does Panathinaikos have a clear and unhindered path to a domestic championship this 2015-16. Olympiacos S.F.P Pireus is hot on their heels at second place with their 12-1 record. AEK Athens is in third place with their 10-3 slate.
As expected, the derby game between these two clubs was action-packed and one that was eagerly anticipated by their respective fans. Unfazed by the standings, then 8th ranked Nea Kifisia was able to establish an early lead in the game. They came out aggressive from the opening whistle and were rewarded with a 14-22 lead at the end of the first quarter. Panathinaikos came back in the second frame and was able to close the distance between both teams. The league leader was down 32-34 at end of the first half of the game.
The turning point in the game came in the third period, when Panathinaikos was able to take control of the game. It was a combination of them stepping up their defense and also finding their shot from three-point range. For the game, Panathinaikos shot 11-of-29 from long distance, compared to Nea Kifisia’s 5-of-25. James Feldeine accounted for five of Panathinaikos’ long bombs en route to his game-high 21 points. The hosts outscored Nea Kifisia 25-8 in a dominant third quarter. Nea Kifisia put up a good run in the fourth and final frame, but unfortunately it was not enough to stop from cruising to victory.
The other results for Round 13, the halfway point of the season, are as follows:
AGOR vs. Olympiacos, 70-85
Apollon Patras vs. Aries Trikalla, 83-77
Arkadikos vs. AEK Athens, 74-78
PAOK vs. Kavala, 71-60
Lavrio vs. Koroivos, 81-72
Kolossos vs. Aris, 76-70