Steel Panathinaikos, boo Bologna!

Double against adversity for Panathinaikos! Ergin Ataman’s team went to Bologna with significant absences, he had a lot of players early on with 4 fouls, but he held on and managed to walk away with a valuable 82-77 win against Virtuesgoing up 7-3 at Euroleague and reaching 4 “doubles” in the season!

The match was a derby from start to finish, with the “greens”, supported by around 1,000 fans, making an excellent first half in attack (43-46) but losing their rhythm in the second half, after the Kendrick Nunn, Ioannis Papapetrou and Omer Yurtsevenwho were in good shape, picked up 4 fouls early on and had to spend some time on the bench.

Nevertheless, armed with its defense and the… naivety of the Italian team in many moments, Panathinaikos stayed in the game, and ended it in the last minute, thanks in large part to Jerian Grantwho hit a huge 3-pointer with 66″ left to make it 72-75 and had a layup assist on Matias Lessor for 74-77 at 26 seconds.

First scorer of Panathinaikos o Kendrick Nunnwho had a terrible first part, but got into foul trouble early in the second and lost his pace. Leading with 16 points and 8 rebounds o Matias Lessorwhich was decisive in the final, while Grant had 11 points and 10 along with 7 assists Kostas Sloukas.

Helped with 7 points and 5 rebounds in 11 minutes by Omer Yurtseven, who also had trouble with fouls. From Virtus, he stood out with 18 points Will Clyburn17 had o Tornik Sengelia and 12 points, 7 rebounds and as many assists o Isaiah Cordinier.

In the 11th matchday Virtues will welcome her Fenerbahce (20/11, 21:30), while o Panathinaikos will go to Kaunas to play with her Zalgiris (22/11, 20:00).

The match

The two teams entered the match nervously and I was without a point for two minutes making bad attacks. Virtus took the lead with a shot from Cordinier (1-0), with Mitoglou to put the first infield for 1-2. Sengelia responded from mid-range (3-2), with Papapetrou making the first three-pointer of the night for 3-5. Nan took two shots and made one, with Panathinaikos making good defenses on Sengelia’s post but getting a three-pointer from him for 6-6. Lessor beat Diouf on the power play (6-8), with Clyburn hitting a long shot for 9-8. The French center and Duf they traded pins (11-10), with Lessor doing it again for 11-12. Nan made a three-pointer (13-15) and the excellent Diouf tied it at 15-15. Lessor continued to score continuously (15-17) and o Nan after his own steal and hustle play he scored 15-19. THE Clyburn nailed at the end of the quarter for 18-19.

In the second period, Cordinier made a nice basket and pulled off a defense (20-19) for Virtus. In the next attack, he created intelligently for Zizic (22-19), with Panathinaikos making an amazing attack that ended with Papapetrou’s three-pointer to tie the score at 22-22. Belinelli went to the line and made two shots (24-22), with Yurceven nailing after teaming up with Sluka for a 24-24 tie. THE Polonara made a great follow-up nail (26-24), with Nunn making a 3-pointer and Belinelli making a layup for 28-27. Slukas hit a three-pointer, as did Nunn, making it 30-33. Grant took the… baton from long range for 32-36, while Yurtseven made a tap and layup at the other end for 32-38. Nunn continued to score continuously and made it 32-40 with a floater, with Cordinier giving the home team a solution with a three-pointer (35-40). Yurtseven responded and Paiola followed (38-43), with Sluka to “shoot” from 6.75m. also for 38-46. Panathinaikos did… sea at the end of the half, after receiving two shots from the Clyburnmissed the rebound on the missed third, and that led to a 3-pointer by himself to make it 43-46.

The second half started with one of his shots Clyburn (44-46), while after an impressive defensive action by Nan, Slukas scored in transition for 44-48. Nan made shots and Zizic hooked for 47-50, while Papapetrou made it 47-53 with his third three-pointer. THE Clyburn ran to surprise and reduced with a layup (49-53), with Mitoglou making an important three-pointer and writing 51-56. Sengelia took three shots after a technical penalty by Nan (55-56), with many Panathinaikos players having trouble with fouls. THE Juancho he gave a solution with a layup after Osman’s creation (55-58), with Cordinier and Lessor exchanging shots for 56-60. THE Clyburn scored the last basket of the quarter (58-60), with Cordinier missing an unmarked dunk at the end.

In the last period, Grant made two shots for 58-62. Sengelia cut to within a point (61-62) with a 3-pointer, with Sluka making a layup to make it 61-64. Georgian reduced again with a difficult basket (63-64), while Polonara put Virtus ahead with a nail (65-64). Nunn scored from mid-range (65-66) and Hackett made a 3-pointer from the corner for 68-66. The American green guard put one shot (68-67), with Sluka finding Lessor with an impressive assist for 68-69. The French center scored on a follow (68-71), with Grant stealing and putting in a shot for 68-72. Sengelia went to the line and scored (70-72), while tying the game at 72-72 in transition. Grant made an improbable shot on defense at the end of the attack (72-75), with Cordinier cutting it to 74-75 with a layup. The American guard of Panathinaikos single-handedly took out Lesor who nailed it for 74-77. Belinelli missed a three-pointer and Grant made two shots (74-79), with Clyburn hitting a 3-pointer for 77-79. Nan went to the line and a follow by Huacho sealed the final 82-77.

The quarters: 18-19, 43-46. 58-60, 77-82.

Detailed match statistics here.