Baskonia shows its potential again against Panathinaikos
The Basque team recovers at times its best version and maintains the pulse of the ‘playoffs’
Cazoo Baskonia recovered the taste of victory and good feelings in their game with the victory (95-90) against Panathinaikos on matchday 23 of the Euroleague, to defend their position in the playoff zone with brilliant moments at Buesa Sand.
After losing this week in Milan, letting the recovery train escape the previous week against Anadolu Efes, Baskonia, sixth, showed that it is still the team that led in Europe and the Endesa League not long ago. The losing streak is beginning to fade, although a Panathinaikos far up the table stood up.
The Barça team had a bad five minutes, the first of the match, but from then on they showed their best face, although in the second half a similar thing happened to them. Those of Peñarroya, willing to recover cruising speed, got into defense and put the offensive part to work with Markus Howard and Costello.
The mess that Bacon started making stopped with his second foul, to the bench, along with him Paris Lee (4-16), plus the damage from Williams on the inside. Baskonia adjusted the details and began their comeback: from going 12 down, to 14 up (52-38). Mastering the rebound, with Costello and Sedekerskis, and good circulation, the Basque team took the lead at the start of the second quarter.
A triple from newcomer Heidegger, the first points with his new club, confirmed the change in trend, very loud at half-time and worrying for a Panathinaikos with casualties, signings waiting to enlist, as well as a bad moment. Baskonia put the direct in the restart reaching 60-40, but the Greek team did not throw in the towel and took advantage of some rival relaxation.
Without a Bacon who, in addition to fouls, had an argument with the stands, to whom he dedicated a comb, the ‘PAO’ pulled Williams and Papagiannis. A 0-10 run opened the game when it seemed doomed, with the visiting team having nothing to lose and the locals still with recent doubts due to their five defeats in the previous six games.
Peñarroya woke up his people with timeout, with Howard bent on the triple until he hit it and a Thompson who did not stop distributing assists. A technique to Dejan Radonjic and an unsportsmanlike shot to Grigonis further hindered the Greek comeback, and a three pointer from Costello stopped the umpteenth reaction from Panathinaikos. Baskonia showed that they still have a lot to say.
DATASHEET.
–RESULT: CAZOO BASKONIA, 95 – PANATHINAIKOS, 90. (52-38, at halftime).
–TEAMS.
CAZOO BASKONIA: Howard (24), Thompson (3), Giedraitis (9), Díez (4) and Enoch (6)–starting five–; Kotsar (10), Sedekerskis (4), Costello (16), Marinkovic (14), Heidegger (5).
PANATHINAIKOS: Lee (16), Bacon (16), G.Kalaitzakis (2), Williams (19) y Gudaitis (5) –quintet initial– Wolters (7), Grigonis (7), Papagiannis (16), P .Kalaitzakis (2).
–PARTIALS: 21-23, 31-15, 24-27, 19-25.
–REFEREES: Boltauzer, Hordov and Trawicki. No deleted.
–PAVILION: Fernando Buesa Arena.