The yellows will look to earn their first road win of the season against the revamped Greeks (9:15 PM local, 2:15 PM ET). Kattash: "We know what to expect"
19/10/2023
HOME·News Archive· On Friday: Maccabi visits Panathinaikos in Athens
Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv will look to earn its first road win of the EuroLeague season on Friday night, when the Israeli champs visits Athens for a bout with Panathinaikos (9:15 PM israel time, 2:15 PM ET). The yellows landed in Greece two days after suffering their maiden loss of the campaign in Valencia.
"It was a strange feeling in vs Valencia, we didn’t know what to expect, how are we going to feel and in what shape we are in", said head coach Oded Kattash, "now we at least know what to expect after going through the experience. We need to find a way to show up with better energies and hopefully the game against Valencia helped us regain our rhythm after two weeks of not playing. As always, our hearts are with the people back home - we want to give them strength and make them happy".
Panathinaikos went through a complete overhaul this summer, bringing in two-time EuroLeague champion Ergin Ataman as head coach and bolstering the roster with big name. Those include Kostas Sloukas who made a controversial move from cross-town rivals Olympiacos; former Maccabi center Mathias Lessort; and 7-season NBA vet Juancho Hernangomez.
The greens, however, have started the season with two losses in three games, including an overtime defeat in the hands of Olympiacos and a home 14-point loss to Fenerbahce. The head-to-head record between Maccabi and Pao stands at 16-15 in favor of the yellows, who won three of the last four matchups.
Maccabi edges Panathinaikos out in overtime thriller in Athens
Facing adversity, the yellows stepped up en route to a 86:81 triumph on the road. Colson led scorers with 21 points, Brown set a new club EuroLeague record with 12 assists
20/10/2023
HOME·News Archive· Maccabi edges Panathinaikos out in overtime thriller in Athens
In the midst of a raging war back home, at the home of one of Europe's most star-studded teams and still without injured Wade Baldwin, Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv delivered an unforgettable victory on Friday. The Israeli champs edged Panathinaikos out in overtime, 86-81, and moved to a 2-1 record for the season.
The yellows showed excellent defense in the first half and led by as many as 15 points, led by Bonzie Colson. But the Greeks came roaring back after the break and had a 2-point lead with seconds left in regulation. That's when Josh Nebo turned two missed free throws by Roman Sorkin into a overtime forcing putback.
In the extra frame, Oded Kattash's men took the lead from start to finish, but needed another heroic play to seal the deal. Up 3 with 5 seconds to go, Pao could have had a chance to tie the game. But Antonius Cleveland intercepted a pass in the back court and iced the game with a layup as time expired.
Colson was once again Maccabi's leading scorer with 21 points, accompanied by John DiBartolomeo in a stellar performance: 15 points and a personal record 9 rebounds. Lorenzo Brown finished the game with a 12-point, 12-assist double-double, setting a club record for dimes in a single EuroLeague contest. Nebo and Tamir Blatt each had 12 points, too.