Ready for big things showed o Panathinaikos AKTORin his third friendly preparation and first in front of his audience!
After the victories against Tsedevita Olympia (81-76) and Anatolou Efes (83-72) in Slovenia, the “greens” showed a much improved face in defense and attack – thanks to the return of several players of course – winning with the impressive 86-69 of Bayern Munich, in their premiere at the “Neofytos Handriotis” friendly tournament on Cypriot soil!
A better debut – albeit an unofficial one – with the “trefoil” jersey could not have been imagined by Omer Yurtseven, who dominated both baskets and showed many positives of a controlled player with excellent high play and strong finishing. The 26-year-old Turkish center was the top scorer of the match, finishing the match with 22 points and 8 rebounds, making 7/8 2-pointers, 2/2 3-pointers and 2/4 shots in about 15 minutes of action!
On the other hand, the other newly acquired Turk, Cedi Osman, it stayed in the… shallows (3p.), showing that it still needs time to adjust. They finished the match with a double-digit number of points Kendrick Nunn (11 points), Marius Grigonis (12 points), Matias Lessor (10 points) and Dino Mitoglou (10 points).
The match:
THE Panathinaikos AKTOR started with Brown, Nunn, Papapetrou, Mitoglou and Lessor in his starting five, in a green setting from the thousands of friends of the team who were in the stands of “Tassos Papadopoulos-Eleftheria”, making it a small… OAKA. The “clover” started quite strong in the match and with “weapon” its hard defense preceded with 9-5 in the 5th minute, thanks to the baskets of Nan, Lessor and Mitoglou.
Then the entrance of Yurceven, Sluka, Osman and Juancho on the court he provided the necessary offensive boost that Ergin Ataman’s team was looking for. With the Turkish center even showing early nuggets of his talent by dominating over the two baskets, Panathinaikos managed to build a double-digit difference. The 26-year-old center was excellent on his debut, scoring quickly 6 collected points, before his countryman, Chedi Osmanwith basket in surprise form it 18-8 in the first period!
The scene was similar at the beginning second period, where the Yurtseven he easily found his way to the Bavarian basket, taking advantage of course of the excellent passes of the “clover” guards. With six quick points, the Turk dispatched Panathinaikos for the first time at +12 (26-14) at 13‘, before the Germans led by Edwards then managed to cut the gap to 7 for 27-20 at 15′.
Somewhere there, and combined with his first entry Grigonis in the match, the “Eptasteros” stepped on the gas and with a quick 11-3 run, shot the difference for the first time at +15 (38-23) at 17′. A little later, with the Lithuanian’s second three-pointer, Panathinaikos reached at +16 (41-25)with Bayern reducing in the last attacks of the half, sending the two teams in the locker room with a score of 43-31.
It was quite balanced third quarteras Gordon Herbert’s side stepped up their performance, improving their image at both ends of the floor. Somehow, the game turned into one exchange “bumps” between the two teams, with the difference remaining more or less close to ten points. Mitoglou and Yurtseven led the “green” attack, with the tall Turk even scoring a three-pointer in the 25th minute to make the score 55-43reaching 17 points at the same time! Napier, Brankovic and Lucic provided solutions to the attacking part of Bayern, with Kendrick Nunn however to “answer” with two difficult and impressive two points, making 59-49 at 28′. Moments later, Mitoglou and Osman made it 62-49, with Edwards making a layup from the line. 62-51 of the period.
Not much has changed in fourth and final periodas his team Ergin Ataman she continued to completely control the tempo of the match, imposing her game and at times putting on an excellent display in defense and attack. It is indicative that at the beginning of the quarter, the “greens” with their defense as a driving force found easy baskets in transition and the open court, they increased the difference at +15 and 71-56 at 35′, effectively “clearing” the case for victory. Despite all this, Panathinaikos not only did not relax, but continued to play at a high tempo, and with an ally of polyphony in the attack, but also Yurceven who reached 22 points, touched +20 (86-66), before Napier set up the final 86-69!
The quarters: 18-8, 43-31, 62-51, 86-69.
Source: Sport Fm
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