Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul (1-1) let a victory slide from their fingers by letting Panathinaikos OPAP Athens (1-1) finish the match on a 9-0 run to claim their first Turkish Airlines EuroLeague of the season 87-91 (21-20, 25-25, 19-21, 20-27).
| Player of the Game | |
|
EFF
20
|
| Nemanja Nedovic | |
| Points | 20 |
| Accuracy | 4-12 |
| Rebounds | 0 |
| Assists | 3 |
It was a really close game in the final quarter. Fenerbahce held a six-point lead (74-68), but Panathinaikos responded with a 7-2 run to regain a narrow advantage (76-77).
However, Dyshawn Pierre and Jan Vesely took over, scoring eight straight points to put Fenerbahce back in front by three (87-82).
Nemanja Nedovic and Darryl Macon responded with four made free throws to cut their team's deficit to one with 10 seconds to go (86-87). Luckily for Panathinaikos, Devin Booker was awarded an unsportsmanlike foul with 2 seconds remaining.
Nedovic converted both free throws, Papapetrou added two more, helping their team steal a four-point victory.
"We didn’t play the way we wanted. It’s very early, we didn’t execute correctly," Panathinaikos coach Dimitris Priftis said post-game. "We got the spirit, though, and with the help of the fans we were able to get this win, so we are happy."
Even though Nedovic only had 2 points at halftime, he ended up leading his team with 20 points (3/6 2PT, 1/6 3PT, 11/11 FT), 3 assists, 1 steal, 1 turnover, and 20 PIR.
He was happy with the team's resilience at the end of the game that brought Panathinaikos the victory: "We didn’t give up to the end. I think we fought until the end when we were 5 points down, I told the guys, keep believing, as I thought we still had a chance. We have to build on this."
Team veterans Jan Vesely and Nando de Colo were great for Fenerbahce. Vesely ended with 18 points (8/14 2PT, 2/4 FT), 10 rebounds, 5 assists, 1 steal, 3 turnovers, and 25 PIR.
De Colo supplied 16 points (4/4 2PT, 1/3 3PT, 5/6 FT), 3 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 turnovers, and 19 PIR.
Nando de Colo gave Fenerbahce an eight-point advantage (64-56), but Panathinaikos responded with a run of their own, cutting their deficit to three points going into the final period (64-67).
Fenerbahce coach Sasha Djordjevic wasn't happy about the referees' decision to call an unsportsmanlike foul so late in the game.
"My understanding of the game is the fair play for both teams. I don’t feel it was like that. But this is basketball, we have to live with it, we have to live with fouls, with the unsportsmanlike foul in the last seconds of the game, with 2.7’ or whatever it was, and we have to live also with our mistakes."
Fenerbahce: Jan Vesely 18 (10 REB, 5 AST), Nando de Colo 16, Devin Booker 14 (7 REB), Pierria Henry 12, Dyshawn Pierre 10, Achille Polonara 9, Marko Guduric 8 (5 AST).
Panathinaikos: Nemanja Nedovic 20, Ioannis Papapetrou 14 (5 REB, 4 AST), Darryl Macon 13, Okaro White 12 (9 REB), Kendrick Perry 9, Jahyve Floyd 8, Jeremy Evans 7, Howard Sant-Roos 6, Giorgos Papagiannis 2.
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