Olimpia Milano pushed Panathinaikos to the final possession in Athens before dropping an 80-75 decision on a flurry of late free throws, three-pointers, and tactical fouls, club reports showed. Facing a fully assembled Panathinaikos squad featuring a towering frontline, Milano erased a 12-point deficit, overturned the score, and held the lead into the final minute before a scramble at the rim swung the game.
Milano Disrupts Panathinaikos Early Paint Game
Panathinaikos opened the match with a massive lineup featuring 2.21-meter center Fall alongside Yabusele and Hayes-Davis. The hosts leaned heavily on feeding Fall early, resulting in four quick points and a foul on Wright. However, Milano disrupted the initial game plan with aggressive double-teams in the paint and interceptions on lob passes. RJ Cole notched a three-point play, and Devin Booker added a mid-range jumper to help Milano edge the opening frame 19-18, capitalizing on four steals.
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Panathinaikos Builds Lead Through Offensive Rebounds
The physical dominance of Panathinaikos took over in the second period, fueled by the scoring of Hernangomez and Kendrick Nunn paired with 11 first-half offensive rebounds. A decisive 18-3 run pushed the Greek side ahead 22-18. Following two early timeouts, head coach Vincenzo Poeta adjusted Milano’s floor balance by shifting Booker to power forward alongside Ousmane Diop to counter the opponent’s size. Booker scored inside and drew mandatory fouls while Devon Hall drained two three-pointers, trimming the deficit to 40-37 at halftime.
Milano Uses Two-Center Lineup to Spark Surge
Milano maintained its two-center lineup into the third quarter, paying immediate dividends on the glass. A jumper from Cole and five consecutive points from Leandro Bolmaro sparked a surge that forced Panathinaikos coach Obradovic to burn an urgent timeout. Milano dictated the pace for over eight minutes with twin centers, holding slim leads until Nunn converted a three-point play to restore the advantage for the home side, though Thompson quickly responded with five straight points to make it 61-60.
Panathinaikos Secures 80-75 Victory in Tense Finish
A tense fourth quarter featured Diop battling effectively for position on the offensive glass. After both Booker and Diop fouled out—leaving Milano shorthanded in the paint—Cole drilled a front-court three-pointer inside the final minute to put the visitors ahead. On the subsequent defensive possession, a disputed tap on a missed shot by Lessort allowed Panathinaikos to reclaim the lead for good. Hall missed a subsequent perimeter attempt, and Panathinaikos secured the 80-75 victory from the charity stripe after Mathews missed a corner shot to tie.
Upcoming Fixtures in Athens and Italy
Olimpia Milano remains in Greece to face Olympiacos on Friday, October 30, before returning to domestic competition to prepare for a derby match against Cantù on Monday night.
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