Panathinaikos was defeated 64-59 at home in a down to the wire clash with Partizan for the opening of the Euroleague Top 16.
Panathinaikos started out as the better opponent in the encounter. Pressure in defense paid off immensely even from the first moments coming off tip-off, seeing that the clover tallied 3 steals in the first 3 minutes. Partizan was not an easy opponent, a remark made already by the green technical staff in pregame statements, a fact that Panathinaikos knows all too well from past experience in battles with the particular team. The Serbs led at 5’45’’ (11-12) but from then on Zeljko Obradovic saw his boys take over the reigns on court, cruise to a cozy +9 cushion almost before the conclusion of the 1st half (32-23), intermission going into session in a 42-36 fashion. Teams went neck-in-neck in rebounding (11-12), Panathinaikos having already leaded its guest to commit 9 turnovers in the first 20 minutes whilst the clover’s Achilles heel arose essential as misfortune from the charity stripe where it presented the discouraging 62% (10 for 16).
As game recommenced the Serbs cut their trail down to 2 (42-40, 21’40’’), greens inputting an immediate response to the siege, upping the ante again to its 9 point figure (49-40, 25’). Things however on the floor played out according to the previous scenario as Vranes with a put-back off a personal double attempt sent his team to creep up to a single point behind its host (52-51, 31’). Marcus Haislip, who on his premiere game competing in the Panathinaikos jersey was welcomed warmly by the crowd, drained a triple to jog the score to 55-51 (31’25’’), answering on behalf of the greens to their rivals’ efforts, proceeding to add even further in aiding Panathinaikos to get up by 6 (57-51, 32’30’’).
Ex-green Dusan Kecman was the culprit that named the gap at its lowest possible price once more, when at 35’25’’ he scored to 57-56. Milenko Tepic was fouled out at 36’10’’ thus presenting Kecman with a new opportunity to get some range, this time from beyond the arc to set Partizan at pole position (57-59, 36’45’’). A pair of free-throws off Rasic made things even worse on the floor as he sailed Partisan to drift away from Panathinaikos by 4 (57-61) a single minute pending on the game clock. 55’’ remaining in the encounter Spanoulis took a trip to the line and made the most out of it by drilling both shots to close the gap to 59-61. Roberts missed the triple he unleashed but the board (Partizan for 2nd half was far more effective in this particular department ) was picked up by Bozic, 20’’ remaining, hence a whole new offense was awarded to his squad. At 18’’6 the aforementioned player went to the line to go 1 for 2 (59-62), Spanoulis was set at charity position off the next possession at the other end of the court, no points however accumulated from this situation (0/2) , Span ultimately sending Vesely this time to try his luck in free-throws (11’’8), who fixed the final game score at 59-64.
Referees: Ziemblicki (POL), Sahin (TUR), Vyklicky (CZE)
Quarters: 22-20, 42-36, 52-46, 59-64
Panathinaikos (Obradovic): Tepic 2, Spanoulis 14(5as), Perperoglou, Fotsis 6, Haislip 7, Nicholas 5, Diamantidis 11, Pekovic 7, Calathes, Shermadini 1, Jasikevicius 6
Partisan (Vujosevic): Roberts 12, McCalebb 8, Kecman 5, Milosevic Str., Rasic 10, Mitrovic, Bozic 12, Vesely 13, Dekic, Vranes 4, Milosevic St.
*Panathinaikos competed without Kostas Tsartsaris, Mike Batiste and Yorgos Bogris.
