Panathinaikos AKTOR could not secure a win away against Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade, suffering a defeat (91-73) in the 14th round of the EuroLeague.
The game started off balanced, with the lead changing hands several times. Panathinaikos AKTOR managed to turn an early 5-point deficit (10-5) into a 2-point advantage (13-15) within three minutes.
The strong offensive rhythm continued for the team, which later took a 3-point lead (25-28 in the 14th minute), even as Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade intensified their defensive pressure on the ball.
Panathinaikos AKTOR extended their lead to 4 points (33-37 in the 18th minute), but a short burst from the home team turned the game around, leaving Panathinaikos trailing by 7 points (44-37) at halftime.
The Serbian team maintained control midway through the third quarter (52-42 in the 25th minute) and widened the gap to 15 points (64-49) by the end of the third period. The flow of the game remained unchanged until the final buzzer, resulting in Panathinaikos AKTOR's defeat in Round 14 of the EuroLeague.
Quarters: 20-20, 44-37, 64-49, 91-73.
Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade (Obradović): Davis 4, Jones K. 18 (3), Ntilikina 7 (1), Washington 7, Koprivica 2, Marinković 9 (3), Brown 17 (3), Bonga 13 (2), Mike 2, Jones T. 12.
Panathinaikos AKTOR (Ataman): Kalaitzakis, Brown 4, Sloukas 15 (3), Osman 3 (1), Papapetrou 4, Grant 9 (2), Nunn 12 (1), Lessort 13, Hernangómez 13 (1), Mitoglou.
Ataman: "We need to be more aggressive on defense"
Ergin Ataman spoke to journalists following the away loss to Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade. Here is what the Panathinaikos AKTOR head coach had to say in detail:
"I believe that until the 18th minute of the game, we controlled it and played well. In the last two minutes of the first half, we started missing open shots, made mistakes, and gave Vanya Marinković three three-pointers. That’s where we lost control of the game.
Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade has a very good coach, they’ve won their recent games, and that gave them confidence. They were very aggressive. We lost our rhythm, which is normal in such an environment. When that happens, you lose the game. We didn’t respond to Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade’s aggression. When we allowed them to score easy points, we lost control. Congratulations to Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade; they deserved the win."
On what needs to change:
"We need to change our defense and become more aggressive. Tonight, we played like a team of veterans. Basketball is not just about quality or tactics; it’s also about aggression. All our opponents play at over 100% when facing us. We need to improve to perform better."
On using three guards in the lineup:
"We are missing a key player, Marius Grigonis. That’s why we rely on three guards in the perimeter. Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade also played with three guards tonight, so I don’t see that as the issue. The real problem was our lack of aggression."
On whether he spoke to Ioannis Papapetrou or Mathias Lessort about the atmosphere before the game:
"No, all the players know what the atmosphere is like here. They’ve played many games in this arena. My players are not inexperienced; they know what to expect in Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade’s court."
Closing statement:
"At the moment, with the way we’re playing, we can’t think about the Final Four—we should focus on making the playoffs. Sometimes, it’s better to lose games in such a way than by six or seven points because it shows you more clearly what needs to change moving forward."
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