Panathinaikos faces the Fenerbahce (19:00, Novasports Prime, News Bulletin 247 and sport-fm.gr) in its first semi-final Berlin Final 4 and he wants to take the first step to his seventh star.
The “greens” are back in the top four of European basketball after a wait of twelve years. The team’s catapult from last year’s 17th place finish to this year’s second in the regular season was a great achievement in itself, but—because with eating comes appetite—reaching the Final 4 the six-star team can aim for nothing less than the title. After all, you… guide him Ergin Ataman of the two European titles and the Kostas Sloukas of the three, but also of the twelve Final 4, could not be otherwise.
The Turkish coach does not face competition problems, since both o Kostas Sloukas as well as Juancho Hernangomet they have been training normally since the beginning of the week. The question now is whether or how much both will have been affected by the bruises they suffered in the series against Maccabi, injuries that have kept them out of games ever since.
On the contrary, the Fenerbahce returns to the Final 4 for the first time since 2019 aiming for the second title in its history, first since 2017 when he won the title in Istanbul against Olympiakos. THE Sarunas Yasikevicius reaches his fifth Final 4 as a manager and after failed attempts to win it with Zalgiris and Barcelona wants to go all the way. After all, as a player he has won the trophy four times, the last time on the field where this year’s Final 4 takes place, as a Panathinaikos player. There are no problems for Fener, as Tarik Biberovic has long since overcome the sprain he suffered in the playoffs against Monaco.
Read the eight points that will decide the match
Some side stories give special color to the match. Slukas faces Fener, in which he played from 2015 to 2020 and last year… was eliminated with Olympiakos in the playoffs. Ergin Ataman has his own history of rivalry with this teamas… a fan of Galatasaray, while the Fener jersey has also been worn by Costas Antetokounmpo. On the contrary, the Sarunas Yasikevicius as a Panathinaikos player he has won three championships, as many Cups and the Euroleague in four seasons. THE Nick Calathes in eight years with the “clover” he has won six championships, four Cups and also the team’s last Euroleague, in 2011. The George Papagiannis in seven seasons with the “greens” he won three championships, four Cups and one Super Cup. The Greeks of Fener still have Tyler Dorsey, but also two prominent members of the staff, the gymnast Kostas Hatzichristos and the physiotherapist Kosmas Kontogiannis.
What does tradition say?
The tradition of the two teams at Euroleague level is very long. Since the first match in 2003, Panathinaikos has 19 wins and Fenerbahçe 17, prevailing marginally. Of course, the playoffs of the 2016/17 season stand out, when the Turkish team prevailed 3-0 despite having a home disadvantage, making two “doubles” at OAKA. However, the two clubs have never been in a Final 4. In detail:
2000/01: Ulker-Panathinaikos 87-79
2000/01: Panathinaikos-Ulker 84-77
(Top 16) 2002/03: Panathinaikos-Ulker 78-74
(Top 16) 2002/03: Ulker-Panathinaikos 92-73
(Regular Season) 2004/05: Ulker-Panathinaikos 66-64
(Regular Season) 2004/05: Panathinaikos-Ulker 79-72
(Regular Season) 2005/06: Ulker-Panathinaikos 66-82
(Regular Season) 2005/06: Panathinaikos-Ulker 85-69
(Regular Season) 2007/08: Fenerbahçe-Panathinaikos 64-83
(Regular Season) 2007/08: Panathinaikos-Fener 88-68
(Top 16) 2011/12: Fenerbahçe-Panathinaikos 56-77
(Top 16) 2011/12: Panathinaikos-Fener 72-62
(Regular Season) 2012/13: Fenerbahçe-Panathinaikos 73-64
(Regular Season) 2012/13: Panathinaikos-Fener 69-55
(Top 16) 2013/14: Fenerbahçe-Panathinaikos 77-72
(Top 16) 2013/14 Panathinaikos-Fener 76-67
(Regular Season) 2014/15: Panathinaikos-Fener 91-73
(Regular Season) 2014/15: Fener-Panathinaikos 84-62
(Top 16) 2015/16: Fenerbahçe-Panathinaikos 82-75
(Top 16) 2015/16 Panathinaikos-Fener 76-71
(Regular Season) 2016/17: Panathinaikos-Fener 81-70
(Regular Season) 2016/17: Fenerbahçe-Panathinaikos 84-63
(Playoffs) 2016/17: Panathinaikos-Fener 58-71
(Playoffs) 2016/17: Panathinaikos-Fener 75-80
(Playoffs) 2016/17: Fenerbahçe-Panathinaikos 79-61
(Regular Season) 2017/18: Panathinaikos-Fener 70-68
(Regular Season) 2017/18: Fenerbahçe-Panathinaikos 67-62
(Regular Season) 2018/19: Panathinaikos-Fener 69-81
(Regular Season) 2018/19: Fenerbahçe-Panathinaikos 85-66
(Regular Season) 2019/20: Panathinaikos-Fener 81-78
(Regular Season) 2020/21: Panathinaikos-Fener 82-68
(Regular Season) 2020/21: Fenerbahçe-Panathinaikos 100-74
(Regular Season) 2021/22: Panathinaikos-Fener 91-87
(Regular Season) 2021/22: Fenerbahçe-Panathinaikos 59-62
(Regular Season) 2022/23: Fenerbahçe-Panathinaikos 107-77
(Regular Season) 2022/23: Panathinaikos-Fenerbahce 88-94
(Regular Season) 2023/24: Fenerbahce-Panathinaikos 83-69
(Regular Season) 2023/24: Panathinaikos-Fenerbahce 74-63
Source: Sport Fm
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