By Eurohoops team / info@eurohoops.net
Barcelona returned on the winning track by beating Panathinaikos with 72-57, led by Ante Tomic (16 points, 6 rebounds) and Aleksandar Vezenkov (12 points, 5 rebounds).
The Blaugranas improved to 5-5, forcing former coach Xavi Pascual’s team to the same record.
Nick Calathes gave pace to Panathinaikos early in the game and the Greek team put a lot of pressure in defense. Tyrese Rice and Joey Dorsey collaborated perfectly to give Barca a brief lead, then Panathinaikos answered in a similar fashion for the second tie of the game. After 10 minutes, the score was even, 19-19.
Barcelona could grab a 7-point lead with 30-23 at 16′, after improving its mid-range shooting percentages. The visiting team remained scoreless for two minutes before Nikos Pappas made a set of free throws, yet Barcelona ran in the transition and Vezenkov found net from afar to keep his team at a safe distance. Even though Tomic and Dorsey were out with 3 fouls each at halftime, the visitors were down 36-31 at halftime.
Early in the third period, a technical was called on the visitors’ bench, though they could then steal the ball and trimmed the deficit to 3 points, 41-38. Panathinaikos remained scoreless for more than 4 minutes, giving Barcelona the chance to expand to 57-40 after 30 minutes. The Greens remained at just 9 points during the third period.
When the final period began, the visitors initially trimmed the deficit to 13, yet Vezenkov found open space in the perimeter for a long range shot. James Feldeine executed a 3 and reduced the deficit to 9 points, yet the visitors couldn’t complete their comeback to the game.