Mitoglou helps Panathinaikos down Darussafaka
EUROLEAGUE REGULAR SEASON - ROUND 12
| Panathinaikos | 75 - 67 | Darussafaka |
|---|---|---|
| (22 - 16) (43 - 32) (57 - 53) (75 - 67) |
Dinos Mitoglou’s impressive 20-point performance led the way as Panathinaikos edged Darussafaka 75-67 in Friday’s EuroLeague action in Athens…
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Panathinaikos ended a three-match losing skid in the EuroLeague on Friday night thanks to a 75067 defeat of Turkish outfit Darussafaka at the OAKA Olympic Indoor Hall.
Dinos Mitoglou posted a EuroLeague career-high 20 points to lead Panathinaikos to their first victory on the continent since 21 November. Nick Calathes, meanwhile, was up to his old tricks as he managed yet another double-double with 10 points and 12 rebounds.
James Gist and Keith Langford also finished in double figures with 15 and 10 points respectively as Panathinaikos coasted to victory after doing much of the heavy lifting in the first half.
Darussafaka, who have proved that life in the EuroLeague is far different than their championship-winning run in the 7DAYS EuroCup, struggled to cope with Panathinaikos’ pressure straight from tip-off. Toney Douglas led the way for the Turkish side with 15 points while Michael Eric finished with a 10-point, 10-rebound double-double.
A quick start in the Greek capital saw Panathinaikos carveout a six-point lead in the opening frame before the Trifylli repeated the recipe to extend their lead to double digits (43-32) by halftime.
Darussafaka were the more determined side out of the gates in the second half and threatened to make matters interesting after a 21-14 run for the Turks cut Panathinaikos’ lead to just 57-53 heading into the final.
Panathinaikos would, however, take care of business in the final frame as Xavi Pascual avoided the embarrassment of an upset against the EuroLeague’s side to improve to 6-6 on the season.
Panathinaikos will now shift their focus to Saturday’s derby clash with PAOK in Thessaloniki before returning to EuroLeague action next week for a doubleheader starting on Wednesday against Real Madrid before hosting AX Armani Exchange Olimpia Mlan on Friday.
