By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
In one more game against one of the EuroLeague most respected clubs, Crvena Zvezda proved that the Serbs are not a fluke. The players of coach Dejan Radonjic got the 72-66 win over Panathinaikos and with a 12-8 record already they just can’t miss the EuroLeague playoffs.
And the Serbs can aim even higher, being at the 5th spot of the standings and having a 7-game winning streak, during which they have beaten Real Madrid, CSKA Moscow, Zalgiris Kaunas, Fenerbahce, Maccabi Tel Aviv, Baskonia, and now Panathinaikos. Marko Simonovic with 13 points, Luka Mitrovic with 11 and Ognen Kuzmic with 10 and 14 rebounds were the best of the winners.
The start of the game belonged to the hosts who opened it with a 16-0 run. However, Panathinaikos bounced back and trailed by six points at the end of the first period (20-14) and also at half time (20-14) with Kenny Gabriel having already 12 points and 4 rebounds.
The score was tied at the 25th minute of the game at 50 with Gabriel having 23 points and 5/5 threes at that point. The two teams walked side by side after that with Simonovic making his first three of the game after five failed attemps and giving a 64-61 lead with 6 minutes left before the final buzzer.
Thanks to this shot, Crvena Zvezda entered the 2,5 minutes mark with a one point lead (64-63). Simonovic again with two made free throws made it a three points game (66-63) , Chris Singleton lost the next possession of Panathinaikos and Kuzmic with a follow after a missed shot by Simonovic gave to Zvezda a five points lead (68-63). With just 1,5 minutes left on the clock there game was over as Nick Calathes missed his fifth three-pointer of the game and Simonovic made the score 70-63. Gabriel didn’t score in the last period, Mike James had 19 points and KC Rivers 12.