By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
By tooth and claw, Panathinaikos managed to get a huge 82-81 win over Valencia getting to an 11-8 record and a four-way tie on the fourth spot with Olympiacos, Fenerbahce, and Maccabi Tel Aviv.
With the score tied at 81 and 18 seconds left, Valencia got the ball. Jared Harper missed a three and with 1.9 seconds left, Mathias Lessort was fouled by Brandon Davies fighting for the rebound and got two free throws.
He made one out of two (82-81), Semi Ojeleye missed at the buzzer and Panathinaikos got the win.
Lessort finished the game with 12 points and Luca Vildoza with 19 points was the top scorer of the Greens who missed due to injury Kostas Sloukas.
“This gym brings me very good memories, I won the championship here with Baskonia“, said Vildoza just after the game. “Tonight I fell in love with my teammates, our fans, my family from home, my girlfriend. To be honest I am very happy. I work hard and it’s great to be here”.
For the losing side, Ojeleye with 13 points was the top scorer, as Valencia dropped to 10-9 and the 10th spot on a four-way tie with Baskonia, Monaco and Partizan between the 8th and the 11th spot of the standings.
Mumbru on the refs
Valencia protested for the foul call in favor of Lessort that ultimately decided the game and coach Alex Mumbru just after the game didn’t hide his frustration.
“There’s nothing to talk about, everyone saw what happened”, adding a bit later in the press conference when asked on the issue: “It’s not my style to cry at press conferences or on the court. I don’t like my players to think about that but fight and talk on the court, not outside and since I don’t like them to do it. I’m not going to do it.”
After a balanced first half, the score was tied at 47, even though Panathinaikos shot just 4/14 threes.
The Greens started the second half with a 12-3 run (59-50), only for Valencia to answer with 10 unanswered points and the lead back (60-59).
The dog fight continued with Valencia leading 69-66 at the start of the fourth period and by seven (73-66) two minutes later, but at the end of the game the score was tied at 77 with two minutes left and everything was possible.
“We deserved much more the win in Vitoria, but we lost there”, said Panathinaikos coach Ergin Ataman referring to the first game of this double-action week, “Tonight we didn’t deserve it, we didn’t play good basketball but in the last minutes we didn’t give up and won an important game for the Euroleague standings”.