It is not an American discovery that the “eternals” will be in another cup final. After a few years, of course, after Olympiacos said ‘hello’ in the domestic competitions.

Years passed, Piraeus returned and in their first season in everything they find Panathinaikos again in a match with a trophy in the middle of the field opposite Secretariat. Really, how well did the two get to the semifinals? Not at all. Expected; Why not…

In the finale, both Prometheus and AEK didn’t fly to beautiful Heraklion to represent the simple accomplices. The people of Patras have put the “Greens” in a very difficult position and the Union has long been trying to … put the “Red-Whites” to sleep.

Now you will be wondering which finale we will see? God knows… If Final Four rules apply, we’ll see a closed game. If both players are in a good mood, we can enjoy basketball. chances are that? No more than the first version. What can I do for you? lying to you…

But I don’t want to dwell on assumptions and conjectures. Let’s talk about what we have seen in Crete so far and this extraordinary event which I would like to believe will only get better in the future with the appetite of the EEC and the (necessary) help of the unions.

Priftis expects you differently …

Dimitris Priftis is of course entitled to call for different situations in the endgame than he saw against Prometheus. But at this point I have to clarify something. In a Final Four, no two games are the same. Yes, we can now speak of an “eternal” derby, but the pressure is also different in a semi-final. Especially when you’re a favourite, like the Greens were.

Panathinaikos looked poor in the first ten minutes. With failure, with statics, with confusion even in seemingly easy things. At the same time, of course, those close to Prometheus were raging and it was certain they couldn’t do that for 40 minutes. Evans gave his team the help they needed. The short character with him in “5” and white in “4” turned out to be flexible and beneficial.

Nedovic made up the difference, they made up for the situation. Panathinaikos vs Olympiakos, 100% will try not to be so far behind in score (the “red-whites” are not Prometheus), but logically there will be other situations, from some things we saw in the semi-finals. Are you saying we should see the SEF belt again? It can. Maybe not.

So far, the “Eternals” have played twice. They won at each other’s headquarters for various events. Panathinaikos had some units that are not on the list now. But there’s Jovic, who will try to bring calm and confidence against a defense that likes to press the ball…

The… extra pinball machines

I completely understand that the “red-whites” on Swan Thursday are waiting for how and how to enjoy basketball. Playing with Milan who will attend the SEF to win. Armani will try to show his virtues and not play with the times like AEK. But what can you do? Bartzokas’ players had to behave well to qualify for the final. They were mesmerized, didn’t shoot at the beginning, “opened” the field too late, and generally got into a process they didn’t like.

The difference in capacity and quality took them from one point to the next. Even though they’ve been provoking themselves with nonsense, especially lately, they couldn’t take any chances. The only thing they won was… extra points from their coach and an irritation on their bench. Everything will be different against Panathinaikos. AEK didn’t have variety in the threat, it couldn’t do much (and it really did finish the way it went), the “Greens” on the other hand have peripheries that shoot, they have big ones that resist and everything becomes different.

Bartzokas rotation will be different for the team to meet the demands of the finals. And of course that applies to both teams, a game like this requires skill and luck as well as a lot of mental reserves.

Applause for Zouros!

Prometheus should get a big round of applause. The people of Patras appeared in Dyo Aorakia in absentia, but they took care to show that they would sell their tomar at a high price. They had a terrible first ten minutes against the favorites of the game. They did a lot of things right and Zouros’ coaching was excellent. With fewer solutions, with a rotation that he knew before he even left Patras was going to cause him problems from a point.

Prometheus went as far as he could. His periphery “broke out” in the second half and that was the first problem. Okay, they didn’t have a team from the record against them. Panathinaikos wouldn’t score for 40 minutes like in the first 10. Those aren’t done.

The Patras team just tried and as time went on in the second half they slowly let the air out. Like the tires of a fast car, they lost air… and while initially plowing the track, they ended up as a “pie” and only reached the finish line and received the applause…

It wasn’t temporary

AEK came to Crete with most of the problems. She struggled for herself in a pumpkin stadium, but under more than difficult conditions. She suffered from an opponent who, no matter how mesmerized she was, could not threaten or intimidate him.

Hamer has shown he can perform at a higher level, while his team-mates can rightly say they followed a plan and made the most of their effort. The union was not temporary and that is a sign. He took advantage of the Olympiacos shot in the last third and went all the way to… the semifinals, until Wookup (!) scored a three and put out the… lighter.

The Final Four was made beautiful by the two underdogs. The two favorites need to play the basketball they know. The holder will clean it up, the one who loses will then carry his whole picture. That’s how it works…