By Eurohoops team / info@eurohoops.net
After dominating in the first game of the double-game week against Anadolu Efes, Zalgiris Kaunas had back-to-back victories, pulling off the 80 – 68 upset over Panathinaikos.
Leading the Lithuanian team in scoring with 24 points and 4/5 from beyond the arc, Keenan Evans was a crucial asset in the final victory against the Greek powerhouse. Laurynas Birutis had another really solid showing with 12 points on the scoresheet. Edgaras Ulanovas and Rolands Smits both added 10 points in their team’s win.
“It’s amazing,” Evans said. “We just wanted to be physical, to be aggressive and not let anyone be too comfortable. In the first quarter, we came out and let them be too comfortable, they were getting anywhere they wanted and getting the shots they wanted. We had to change that and that’s how we came out with the win.”
Still, without Kostas Sloukas, Panathinaikos relied mainly on the offensive contribution of Kendrick Nunn, who finished the game with 26 points and 4 assists. Mathias Lessort followed with 14 points and 7 rebounds in the defeat, while the former Zalgiris guard Marius Grigonis scored 15 points.
“Zalgiris deserved to win,” Panathinaikos coach Ergin Ataman said. “Especially Evans, he played a great game and organized well. Our defense especially on the low post against Ulanovas and Smits was terrible. We didn’t get contact with Hernangomez, Mitoglou, or anybody. With this defense it’s very difficult to win games on the road. Congratulations to Zalgiris because they showed great hustle and desire to win.”
Ataman’s team couldn’t rely upon players from the bench, both in terms of points scored (3) and assists shared (1). The game remained on the balanced edge for the vast majority of the time, but Zalgiris found a 12-point lead (70-58) in the third to escape definitely.
“It was a perfect effort game from my players,” Zalgiris coach Andrea Trinchieri said. “We made a lot of mistakes. We played against a great team that’s very well-coached and has great players. Nunn and Grigonis had an amazing game. We stated sloppy. We were one step behind in everything. But the second quarter gave us a lot of energy, a lot of deflections. When you do the perfect effort game, you have a chance to beat a great team like Panathinaikos.”
“I don’t have energy, my players had energy,” he added. “They played an amazing game.”
In the EuroLeague Round 26 – the last one before the large break that will see domestic cup actions and the 2025 EuroBasket Qualifiers window -, Panathinaikos will host Nick Calathes and Sarunas Jasikevicius in the game against Fenerbahce, while Zalgiris Kaunas will travel to Belgrade against Crvena Zvezda.
PHOTO CREDIT: Turkish Airlines EuroLeague