Baskonia Fails to Overcome Its Poor Streak in Athens and Falls to Panathinaikos
The Vitorian team failed to change its negative history in the Greek capital and suffered a defeat against Panathinaikos. They arrived with two consecutive wins, but the OAKA once again became a hostile setting where the experience of the home team weighed more. 🏀
A Fatal Second Quarter for Baskonia's Interests
The start of the game showed an even matchup, with intense defenses and exchanged baskets. However, everything changed in the second quarter. Panathinaikos found a much superior offensive rhythm and capitalized on Baskonia's mistakes to launch a devastating partial run of 17-2. This moment broke the tie and gave them an advantage of over twenty points that proved key.
Key Factors of the Athenian Partial:- Greater effectiveness in shots from beyond the three-point line.
- A more aggressive defense that forced turnovers and difficult shots.
- Baskonia lost concentration and fluidity in its game for several minutes.
The OAKA remains an impregnable fortress for Baskonia, which repeats a known script of defeat.
Baskonia's Reaction Falls Short of a Comeback
After the break, Dusko Ivanovic's team showed a different attitude. They improved in moving the ball and were more aggressive in penetrating to the basket, managing to reduce the deficit to twelve points in the last quarter. This generated a glimmer of hope, but Panathinaikos knew how to manage the pressure in the decisive moments.
Errors That Hindered the Comeback:- Misses from the free-throw line in moments of maximum tension.
- Hasty and unclear offensive decisions in the final stretch of the game.
- The defense could not consistently stop the Greek team when it needed to most.
A Déjà Vu That Repeats in the Greek Capital
The visit to Athens once again became a déjà vu for the fans. The pattern repeats: initial illusion, a collapse in the second quarter, and a final effort that falls short. Now, Baskonia must forget this defeat and focus all its efforts on the next challenge in the competition. 🔄