Panathinaikos Gains 34th Championship Title

Panathinaikos did it again last night, in the completion of an unexpected upturn, after conceding game 4 in this season's best-of-5 playoff final series. It wasn't the first time the Greens managed to take an away win in Piraeus, but last Sunday's win was all but mission impossible.

Having lost the home court advantage in game 3, even the most avid Panathinaikos supporters gave the team zero chances of regaining the advantage in game 4. Still, they played smart, with huge energy and without fear in a fiery Peace and Friendship Stadium and two hours later they left with a 67 to 65 away win, regaining the home court advantage and sensing the series back to the Athens Olympic Stadium (OAKA) for a fifth game, surrounded by their delirious fans.

Having forced a Game 5, the finals returned to OAKA and nothing could spoil the party. The Greens are once again Greek champions, beating Olympiacos (82-71). It was the 34th league title in the history of the club and the 15th one in the past 17 years.

Panathinaikos got a double digits lead at the start of the second quarter (30-19), at half time the score was 53-32 and in the middle of the third period to score was 60-38, by far the best offensive performance of the hosts in a game against Olympiacos this season. The Reds were absent from the court during the first half and when they tried to mount a come back, they had to climb a mountain.

Photos: AMNA, Eurokinissi

The best they could do was cut the lead to 74-68 in the 35th minute. Panathinaikos managed to keep its distance and prevailed in the end. Jonas Maciulis with 15 points was the top scorer of the winners and Matt Lojeski had 17 points for Olympiacos.

For the Greens, this was the crowning achievement of a season which, in many occasions, appeared to be all but lost. Mistakes made in last summer's transfer season, multiple injuries, a surreal change of established coach Pedoulakis with rookie Alvertis mid season and the undisputed fact that their game was quite bad – all led to the logical conclusion that conceding their league title was all but certain.

But a club which has won 34 league titles and 6 Euroleague ones, can beat all the odds. Which brings us back to the paraphrased Lineker quote, about the Greens winning in the end. Because titles are not always won by the best side – sometimes they are won by the most determined one.