By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
On paper, it was an easy night for the home side, and on the contrary, ALBA put on a fight.
Still, in the end, Panathinaikos got the 91-81 win over the Germans keeping the third position in the standings with a 19-11 record.
Jerian Grant with 19 points was the top scorer, Kendrick Nunn added 18, Lorenzo Brown scored 13, and Wenyen Gabriel with 13 points, eight rebounds, and four blocks had his best game yet for the Greek side.
“We made shots in the end, we dug in deep, forced some turnovers and that shows a lot about our character”, said Gabriel after the final buzzer as Panathinaikos prevailed, but lost during the game due to injuries Cedi Osman and Ioannis Papapetrou.
Matt Thomas with 14 points and Gabriel Procide with 13 did their best for ALBA which was not enough, as the Germans remain last in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague standings with a 5-24 record.
“Their talent, experience, physicality, and athleticism took over. But I’m extremely proud of our guys,” Pedro Calles said.
A thrilling finish
After a relatively slow start and with Osman getting injured after four minutes on the court, Panathinaikos had a modest 23-19 lead to end the first quarter. However, things changed in the second with the hosts building a 12-point advantage (44-32) and closing the first half up by 11 (46-35).
Grant had already 11 points and two assists for the home side, but the second half started with Papapetrou turning his ankle and ALBA getting back into the game with a partial 20-8 score, suddenly having a 55-54 lead thanks to a shot by Procida.
Panathinaikos entered the last period leading by two (66-64) and ALBA got the lead back (67-66) with the first shot of the period, a three by Thomas. The Germans even built an eight-point cushion (74-66), shocking the defending champions with a 10-0 run.
The Greens reacted and with four minutes left, they got the lead back (78-77) after a three by Brown. Thomas missed in the next possession, Wenyen Gabriel scored in transition (80-77), and Panathinaikos was back in control completing a 21-0 run for a 90-77 lead, finishing the game in style.
PHOTO CREDIT: EuroLeague