By Eurohoops Team/ info@eurohoops.net
With Milos Teodosic back with the team, Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet gave a good fight but couldn’t really threaten Panathinaikos AKTOR at Stark Arena.
Ergin Ataman’s team was in control for most of the match, finding an answer to every opponent’s attempt to stage a comeback, and finally won 76-89 in Round 30 of the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague.
Kostas Sloukas and Mathias Lessort led the way for the winning side.
The Greek point guard reached a double-double with 17 points and ten assists, while the Frenchman had 19 points, six rebounds, four assists, and three steals for a game-high PIR of 30 after playing almost 37 minutes for the Athenian club.
“I’m very happy; it was like a final for us. We had to win, and we controlled the game for 40 minutes. Crvena Zvezda has talent and good fans who put pressure on the opponent. This team is always prepared; coach Sfairopoulos always prepares well. They are aggressive and have talent, so it wasn’t easy, and that makes me very happy we won,” Sloukas said after the match.
The Lessort factor
Lessort had an interesting remark in the aftermath.
“The stadium was like a jungle. With some zebras, some dolphins, some monkeys, and some ponies. It was a big win for us, and it was very important. I played for many minutes in this gym, so I’m used to it. Big win and I’m ready to do whatever it takes to help my team win,” former Crvena Zvezda and Partizan player said.
Konstantinos Mitoglou and Jerian Grant followed the duo, with the Greek forward adding 17 points, while Grant had another good all-around game with 12 points, five assists, and four rebounds for a PIR of 21. Kendrick Nunn also finished in double figures with 15 points for Panathinaikos.
On the other hand, Dejan Davidovac scored a season-high 19 points, while Nemanja Nedovic scored 19 and had seven assists for a team-high PIR of 23. Joel Bolomboy was two rebounds shy of a double-double with 11 points, while Teodosic scored just four on his return but dished out six assists.
Panathinaikos in control since the first quarter
Panathinaikos took the lead midway through the first period with a 10-2 run and never looked back. The hosts managed to shorten the gap on a couple of occasions, but the best they managed was to come within seven points, as the guests brushed aside Crvena Zvezda’s every attempt to come back into the game and deservedly won.
“A very important win; we have four more games, and winning is important to protect our position. We played a good game and had control. Of course, Crvena Zvezda with Teodosic and Nedovic is a different team, but except for the beginning of the third quarter, we played good defense, moved the ball smartly, and took a very important road victory,” Panathinaikos’ coach Ergin Ataman said after his team improved to 19-11 record.
Crvena Zvezda’s coach, Ioannis Sfairopoulos, stated that his team had a chance to turn the game around; however…
“We had a chance when we cut the difference to seven points, missed two or three open shots. Panathinaikos has the quality; after that, they opened the lead again, and it was very hard to come back,” Sfairopoulos said after his side fell to 10-20 after sixth straight defeat in the EuroLeague.