Dimitris Diamantidis was named MVP to the encounter, while slightly later he spoke of Panathinaikos’ significant victory.
“The most important thing of all is the team’s victory. After the first game we instrumented character. All the guys were focused. We got the game to a single shot and we got lucky. Further to the players’ ability, luck is also needed. It is a shot at the buzzer. Thank God for us, we made it. The team advances keeping its head hung low, as it has been doing all these years. In the play at the end with the shot, I decided to go one-on-one with Jawai who is a heavy big man. I had the shot in mind. Nothing is over yet. We are competing against one of Euroleague’s two favorites this season, the other is CSKA. In this year’s Euroleague home-courts are not so defining. It is all uphill, but Panathinaikos is competitive and that is the most important element. We are competitive, sometimes things might not work out for us but we stay at it. There is no reminiscing on 2011, no checking out the similarities and the differences. 2011 is in the past. I hope only that the common ground with then will be that the team still fights at it. I am pleased, a battle is over and we are now focusing on Tuesday’s encounter. We will work in order to improve. In view of the OAKA encounters there is no stress. These games are experience because we have many new guys on the team. Barcelona is stressed out because it is the favorite. We must be more concentrated and administer this victory”.
Kostas Tsartsaris, the second player to stick with the team last summer alongside Diamantidis, added: “We know all too well that there is more to the series. This win will be worth nothing if we fail to be mature next week. Many had stated that it was a success that we advanced to the playoffs. The more you get however, the more you want. We could have accomplished our goal in the first game also. We scouted out their weaknesses and appeal to them. Now we focus on the next game”.
Jonas Maciulis added, all smiles in the Panathinaikos locker rooms: “It was a great game. We came here to nail a win. We still have more games at the OAKA. We must focus in view of the ensuing series. Nothing is ruled yet”. While close by, Mike Bramos was stating: “It is only a baby step. Barcelona remains mighty strong but it is really good to get the series transferred to our home court. We lost in the first game. We have two more games in Athens; we must settle down and get the wins needed in order to avoid returning to Barcelona”.
