Partizan defeated Panathinaikos 75:64 in front of nearly 35,000 spectators in their last preseason game before the new season.
The highly anticipated spectacle turned into a rather sluggish performance by the home team, which Partizan capitalized on to secure a win at the legendary “Panathinaiko” stadium.
Notably absent for Partizan were Isaiaha Mike, Aleksa Dimitrijevic, Arijan Lakic, Mitar Bosnjakovic, and captain Vanja Marinkovic. On the Panathinaikos side, Lorenzo Brown and Panagiotis Kalaitzakis did not participate.
The first quarter was marked by an unusually low-scoring affair. The vibrant atmosphere failed to lift the home team, as Panathinaikos did not score a field goal in the first four minutes of the game. In fact, the only points from the field for the Athens “Greens” in this period came from Ioannis Papapetrou. Partizan struggled as well, missing free throws and open shots, preventing Zeljko Obradovic’s team from building a double-digit lead. The quarter ended with Partizan leading 15:8.
The second quarter saw a more balanced contest, but Panathinaikos continued to struggle offensively, exacerbated by three fouls each on Mathias Lessort and Omer Yurtseven. On the other side, Brandon Davies provided a strong interior presence, helping Partizan maintain their lead, going into halftime with a 36:27 advantage.
A similar pattern continued in the third quarter. Aleksej Pokusevski contributed both offensively and defensively, while the European champions only briefly managed to cut the deficit, which consistently hovered between seven and nine points. With solid defense and easy points, Partizan extended their lead to 14 points heading into the final quarter.
Panathinaikos’ poor performance persisted, allowing Partizan to comfortably control the pace and close out the game. The winner was apparent early in the fourth quarter, as some fans even began leaving the stands. The lead remained in double digits throughout, and the final score stood at 75:64 in favor of Partizan.
In the winning team, Duane Washington led the way with 13 points, followed by Brandon Davies with 12 and Tyrique Jones with 10.
For Ergin Ataman’s side, Kendrick Nunn was the top scorer with 16 points, while Jerian Grant added 11.
This was Partizan’s last preseason match. They will open their ABA League campaign on Wednesday, hosting Borac Cacak. As far as Panathinaikos goes, they will compete in the Greek Super Cup.
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