Olympiacos and Panathinaikos qualified for the Greek Cup Final and will collide for the coveted title on Sunday.
The “Reds” rallied past AEK Athens (76-70), while Panathinaikos dominated Promitheas in the first semifinal (68-85).
This will be the third time the two Greek giants will meet this season. So far, they have split victories (1-1).
Olympiacos vs AEK Athens (76-70)
AEK stood tall in the first half and trailed only by three at halftime (32-29). A 24-13 run in the third quarter, though, was enough for Olympiacos to take control (56-42).
The “Reds” comfortably retained their lead and went on to win the game. AEK attempted a late comeback, but couldn’t come closer than five points (66-61, 75-70).
MVP: Kostas Papanikolaou (16 points) and Sasha Vezenkov (15 points) combined for 31 points for the winners.
Key to victory: The 24-13 run in the third quarter enabled Olympiacos to take a double-digit lead and clinch the victory.
Promitheas Patras vs Panathinaikos (68-85)
The “Greens” used a strong second-half performance and cruised to an easy victory over Promitheas Patras (68-85).
Promitheas were in control early in the game and led by as many as 14 (27-13). Panathinaikos, though, took over later and never looked back. Playing excellent on both ends, they outsored their opponents 41-72 and sealed the deal.
MVP: Nemanja Nedovic didn’t have a perfect shooting night (4/16 from the field). Yet, he scored eight straight points late in the first half and let Panathinaikos come back to the game. The Serbian star guard finished the game with 17 points.
Key to victory: Panathinaikos was unstoppable in the second half, outscored Promitheas 29-47 and clinched its spot in the Final.
This will be the 26th time the “Greens” will appear in the Final of the Greek Cup. They have won the trophy 20 times. On the other hand, the “Reds” have played 19 times in the Final and have claimed the title 10 times.
Olympiacos and Panathinaikos will face each other in the Greek Cup Final for a 10th time. The six-time EuroLeague champions have won seven of the past nine matches.
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