The game between Brose Baskets and Panathinaikos was decided right down at the finish line, with the Germans clinching victory by 79-76, in the context of the Euroleague 5th competition date.
Early on the home team showed that not only they had extra motivation playing against the European champions, but great determination as well, in an arena filled to capacity. They were also the ones who got the first lead in the game, getting to +5 points relatively quickly (7-2 at 3’, 9-4 at 5’50’’). Panathinaikos reacted, led the score in the first period (16-19) and carried on with the help of successful long-distance shots to stretch the gap to +9 (22-31, 14’06’’). It was during that time that Panathinaikos was most effective in defense, finding quite a few open shots through proper ball rotation. Brose Baskets gradually cut down the margin, came as close as breathing down Panathinaikos’ neck (37-38, 19’02’’), with the half-time score going to 37-40.
In the second half the game seemed to change. The Germans made successful shots, some of them open, but also quite a few of them despite defensive pressure. They led by 43-40 (21’49’’), with Panathinaikos making a comeback with the help of Aleks Maric (49-52, 26’37’’). The “Greens” even got to a +6-point lead, but again Fleming saw his players put up a fight and trimming the difference down to a single point (60-59) at the third period buzzer.
The first minutes in the fourth period were decisive for the outcome of the game. The team from Bamberg took to a seven-point lead (66-59, 31’55’’), with Panathinaikos scoring its first points in that period at 32’26’’ (66-62) by a three-pointer from Dimitris Diamantidis. The picture remained the same in the final minutes of the game with the home team breaking away in the score, the “Greens” closing in from behind but being unable to tie Brose Baskets, which had at that point begun to believe they would get a positive outcome. Panathinaikos had plenty of opportunities to get to victory, but had a total of five unsuccessful three-point attempts in the last two minutes. It cut the margin down to one point (77-76) with 2’’ to go, exhausted every possibility to claim victory, but ultimately with 1’’ to go two free throws by Jenkins sealed the victory for the Germans who amply celebrated it on court.
Referees: Jungebrand (Finland), Sahin (Turkey), Latisevs (Latvia)
By quarter: 16-19, 37-40, 60-59, 79-76
Brose Baskets (Fleming): Suput 19, Tadda, Jenkins 13, Pleiss 9, Roberts 7, Jakobsen 10, Tucker 8, Gavel 8, Slaughter 5
Panathinaikos (Obradovic): Maric 7, Batiste, Logan 3, Sato 11, Diamantidis 16, Vougioukas 8, Calathes N. 11, Smith 7, Kaimakoglou 13
