Barça best Panathinaikos in 97-89 overtime win

Barça made it two wins in the space of a week with a 97-89 victory against Panathinaikos on Thursday night, pulling away in overtime for their third Euroleague success this season.

The visitors got off to a good start that saw them establish a 2-11 lead, but a 6-0 run for Barça kept them in the game and helped them to level the contest. The first quarter ended 13-18, with a setback for the Blaugrana in the form of an injury to Alex Abrines.

Barça fight back

In the second quarter, a 7-0 streak was established thanks to 3-pointers from Calathes and Kuric, and it took Barça in front for the first time (21-18). Kuric and Heurtel also contributed points, as the game went into halftime 36-35.

The third quarter began with another push from Panathinaikos, but an almost unanswered series of 8 points by Higgins kept things close. An awesome 12-0 partial meant Barça led once again, 56-55, although the contest would enter its final quarter tied at 58-58.

An epic end plus overtime

Both teams went back and forth without scoring to start the fourth quarter. It was Davies who upped the scoring pace late on, but Barça's 3-point lead was cancelled out by three free throws by Kaselakis with 8 seconds remaining, meaning the game would run into overtime.

In overtime it was triples by Hanga and Kuric that helped the Blaugrana cause, followed by Higgins adding points. Some 22 points scored in 5 minutes finally saw Barça through, winning 97-89.

Match Stats

Barça, 97
Panathinaikos, 89

Barça: Hanga (6), Higgins (24), Abrines (-), Smits (4), Davies (20) -cinco inicial-. Bolmaro (-), Heurtel (7), Pustovyi (1), Oriola (6), Sergi Martínez (1), Kuric (14), Calathes (14). 
Panathinaikos: Sykes (-), Foster (24), Papapetrou (8), Mitoglou (16) i Auguste (2) -cinco inicial-. Papagiannis (2), Kaselakis (5), Nedovic (15), White (-), Bentil (-), Sant-Roos (17).
Partials: 13-18 / 36-35 / 58-58 / 75-75 / 97-89 (prórroga)
Referees: Luigi Lamonica, Olegs Latisevs and Gytis Vilius