Panathinaikos defeated Asvel 85-67 in the OAKA Arena as part of the EuroLeague Round 28, but the win came with more difficulty than anticipated.
The first five minutes saw the teams evenly matched at 9-8. Kendrick Nunn found a good offensive rhythm, giving his team a two-possession lead, but Asvel finished the first period better, trailing by only three points (20-17) at the break.
Joffrey Lauvergne sparked a 6-0 run for Asvel at the start of the second quarter, leading to a turnaround (23-20). Kostas Sloukas and Mathias Lessort shined for Panathinaikos, while Deshaun Thomas excelled for Asvel. The lead changed hands every two possessions, but Panathinaikos went into halftime slightly ahead, leading by two points (38-36).
Jerian Grant and Lessort started the third quarter well, giving Panathinaikos a significant lead. Although Asvel occasionally closed the gap, thanks to Marius Grigonis, the home team extended their lead to double digits (59-48). A basket from Nando De Colo brought Asvel within nine points heading into the decisive final 10 minutes (59-50).
The giant from Athens broke the resistance of the French team in the middle of the fourth quarter when they went on a 7-0 run to establish a 14-point lead (71-57). Panathinaikos then calmly maintained their lead until the end of the game, earning a well-deserved win.
Jerian Grant was the top scorer for Panathinaikos with 21 points, while Mathias Lessort added 17. Nando De Colo stood out for Asvel with 15 points.
Panathinaikos remains in fourth place in the EuroLeague standings with a record of 18-10, while Asvel continues to occupy the 17th spot with only six wins and a staggering 22 losses.
In the next round, Ergin Ataman’s team will visit Olympiacos, while Asvel will host Anadolu Efes.