By Stavros Barbarousis/ info@eurohoops.net
It was an ugly game, but the end result is what matters. And thanks to two big three by James Gist and Demetris Nichols in overtime which gave a 77-69 lead, Panathinaikos beat Maccabi Tel Aviv (83-75) after a night of forgettable sloppy basketball.
The hosts without Nick Calathes on the court who finished the game with 13 points, 5 rebounds and 6 assists were in trouble, while Maccabi played almost exclusively one-on-one basketball. Chris Singleton had a Euroleague career high with 26 points for the winning side which had a 16-4 score in overtime and Andrew Goudelock with 14 points was the top scorer of Maccabi.
Panathinaikos finished half time with a 35-28 lead, a 15 points advantage in the third quarter and entered the last quarter with a nine points difference (52-43). However, Maccabi had not said its last word. The Israelis started the fourth period with a 7-0 run (52-50), Panathinaikos reacted with five quick points, but Maccabi had a 65-64 lead with 3 minutes left on the clock.
Nichols missed a three, D.J.Seeley with two free throws made it a three points game for the guests (67-64). Singleton’s answer for Panathinaikos was one made free throw and James Gist with a tip in which was his first made two-pointer in the game tied the score at 67 with 10 seconds left. Maccabi Tel Aviv couldn’t score in the last possesion and everything was decided in overtime.