Panathinaikos AKTOR defeated Alba Berlin 91-81 at OAKA in a match for the 30th round of the EuroLeague regular season. The top scorer for the green team was Jerian Grant with 19 points.
Before the start of the match, Kendrick Nunn received the EuroLeague MVP award for the month of February from the European Ambassador of Panathinaikos AKTOR, Frangiskos Alvertis.
The Greek team started strong, quickly gaining an eight-point lead (12-4 at 4'). Although ALBA Berlin briefly closed the gap (14-12 at 7'), Panathinaikos AKTOR remained in control (25-23 at 13') and extended their lead to +6 (38-32) by the 17th minute. A late second-quarter surge allowed them to enter halftime with an 11-point advantage (46-35).
At the start of the third quarter, ALBA Berlin capitalized on fast-break opportunities to take their first lead of the night (54-55 at 26'). However, Panathinaikos AKTOR responded swiftly and regained control (66-64) despite losing both Cedi Osman and Ioannis Papapetrou to ankle injuries.
The visitors mounted another challenge early in the fourth quarter, surging ahead by eight points (66-74 at 32'). But the Greens quickly turned things around with strong defensive pressure and improved shooting accuracy, reclaiming the lead (78-77) with four minutes remaining. Their momentum carried them to a decisive +8 advantage (85-77 at 38'), sealing an important victory.
Quarters: 23-19, 46-35, 66-64, 91-81.
PANATHINAIKOS AKTOR (Ataman): Kalaitzakis 3, Brown 13 (1), Sloukas 4, Osman 2, Papapetrou 5, Grant 19 (1), Pleiss, Nunn 18 (1), Gabriel 13, Hernangomez 9, Mitoglou 5 (1).
ALBA BERLIN (Calles): Procida 13 (1), Spagnolo, Wetzell 11, Delow 2, ΜcDowell-White 5 (1), Mattisseck, Schneider 8 (1), Thomas 14 (3), Hermannsson 3 (1), Olinde 9 (1), Baker 5 (1), Rapieque 3 (1).
Ataman: "We won thanks to our defensive aggressiveness"
Ergin Ataman explained how Panathinaikos AKTOR managed to turn the game around against ALBA Berlin at OAKA, overcoming an eight-point deficit in the 34th minute to secure a 10-point victory.
Ataman’s Post-Game Comments:
On the game against ALBA Berlin: "There are some games where you just don’t play well offensively. Tonight was one of those nights. Early in the game, we lost Cedi (Osman) in the first five minutes, and then Ioannis (Papapetrou) at the start of the second half. Our scorers couldn't find their rhythm. We only made 4 out of 20 three-pointers, probably one of our worst percentages in EuroLeague this season.
In the last six to seven minutes, we changed our strategy and put our best defensive players on the floor: Kalaitzakis, Grant, Brown, Hernangómez, and Gabriel. We had to be more aggressive on defense because we were shooting poorly, while ALBA Berlin was making their shots. Thanks to our defensive intensity, we went on a 21-0 run, which allowed us to secure this very important victory for our position in the standings."
On the injuries of Ioannis Papapetrou and Cedi Osman: "Both of them suffered ankle injuries. Osman’s seems to be minor; he has already started treatment. Papapetrou’s looks more serious, and we are waiting for the results of his medical tests."
Following Ataman’s press conference, medical examinations confirmed that Ioannis Papapetrou has suffered a sprained ankle. His availability for the upcoming games will depend on his recovery progress.
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