By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
Everyone expected a big game at OAKA, and nobody was disappointed.
When all was said and done, Panathinaikos got the 91-90 win with Fenerbahce missing the chance to win it with a last shot and then handing the “W” to Panathinaikos with a last-second foul, which translated to one made free throw by Kendrick Nunn.
It was enough for the win, with Nunn scoring in total 17 points and Kostas Sloukas with 23 leading the charge. Juancho Hernangomez added 15 points and also had eight rebounds.
“We knew they were coming from six wins in a row and I tried to do whatever the team needed from me, I try to lead by example”, said Sloukas after the final buzzer.
For the losing side, Nigel Hayes-Davis missed the chance to be a hero at the end but had in total 21 points.
Errick McCollum added 18, and Devon Hall had 14 plus seven rebounds and eight assists.
After this result, Fenerbahce dropped to 16-8 and remains second in the standings, while Panathinaikos improved to 15-10.
A game to remember
After a tied first period with both teams tied at 24, Panathinaikos managed to create a nine-point cushion (37-28) after a 13-4 run with Sloukas and Mitoglou taking over.
Fenerbahce reacted with six unanswered points (37-34), even got the 40-39 lead and Nunn closed the first half with a shot at the buzzer to put again Panathinaikos up by one (41-40).
The guests opened the third period with six unanswered points (46-41), Panathinaikos took back the lead (51-48), only for Devon Hall to tie it with a three (51-51) and the dogfight continued.
Hall closed the period with one more big three to give Fenerbahce a 64-61 advantage and Hayes-Davis added two more (66-61) to start the last quarter, only for Panathinaikos to tie the score again at 66.
With back-t0-back threes by McCollum, Fenerbahce got a 72-66 advantage, Sloukas with one more three gave back Panathinaikos the lead (76-75), and then a barrage of big shots from both sides started with the two teams entering the last minute tied at 88.
Hayes-Davis gave Fenerbahce the 90-88 lead, Sloukas got the steal and got fouled, tying the score at 90 with 11.7 seconds left. Hayes-Davis missed and then he fouled Nunn with one second left.
He made one, missed the second and Panathinaikos got the big 91-90 win.