SPORTS

Indomitable Greens upset Reds to reach Cup semis

Depleted Panathinaikos upset the odds and beat favorite Olympiakos 77-76 at home in the Greek Cup’s most important quarterfinal on Thursday. It has joined PAOK, Apollon Patras and Nea Kifissia in the last four.

Despite playing behind closed doors, without several key players due to injury and having changed most of the squad and its coach, Panathinaikos defeated the Reds with a memorable comeback at the end.

The Greens were the strongest at the start and led by up to 10 points (14-4) five minutes into the game and 33-32 at half-time.

A solid start to the second half allowed Olympiakos to advance by 13 points (55-42), but the ghosts of past defeats of the Reds at the Olympic Sports Hall returned to haunt them and allowed the host to go level (75-75) with a Dimitris Diamantidis three-pointer before scoring the winning basket with Esteban Batista.

In the other quarterfinals held this week, PAOK thrashed KAO Dramas 88-63 on Wednesday, Nea Kifissia reached the semifinals for the first time in its history beating Aris 73-69 and Apollon Patras emerged victorious from its clash with the teenagers of Panionios at Nea Smyrni with an 81-63 score on Thursday.

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