ASVEL suffered a decisive 102-79 defeat against Panathinaikos in Athens during the second round of the EuroLeague. Playing inside the Greek club’s home arena, the French side competed during the opening minutes of the first quarter before the hosts pulled away with a dominant offensive and defensive display.
Panathinaikos Controls the Pace After a Competitive Start
The visiting team arrived in the Greek capital following a strong opening-round victory against Maccabi Tel-Aviv, where they secured an 84-74 win. However, facing Panathinaikos presented an entirely different challenge. The Greens had previously overwhelmed Paris Basketball 91-72 in their opening fixture.
ASVEL managed to trade blows early in the game, but the Greek squad’s defensive pressure quickly altered the momentum. Despite shooting a modest 8 of 13 from the free-throw line and committing six turnovers in the first half, Panathinaikos built a commanding 56-34 lead by halftime. The home side capitalized on efficient perimeter shooting, converting 8 of 14 attempts from beyond the arc during the opening twenty minutes.
Francisco and Lessort Lead the Greens
Sylvain Francisco delivered a standout performance against his former club, pacing the Panathinaikos attack with 19 points, two rebounds, three assists, and one block, finishing with a team-high 25 index rating. Mathias Lessort added 12 points and eight rebounds alongside strong interior defense, anchoring a frontline that also featured Guershon Yabusele.
Panathinaikos maintained control throughout the second half despite missing several rotation players. David Lightly provided a spark for ASVEL late in the third quarter, converting two three-point shots to trim the deficit to 80-56. Nevertheless, the Greek side continued to apply pressure, and Panagiotis Kalaitzakis sealed the 102-79 final score with a buzzer-beating basket in the closing moments.
EuroLeague Standings and Upcoming Fixtures
The result drops ASVEL to a 1-1 record early in the EuroLeague schedule, serving as a valuable learning experience for the roster. Panathinaikos maintains its undefeated start to the continental campaign at 2-0. ASVEL will look to regroup before returning to European action, while Panathinaikos prepares for its upcoming round-three matchup on the EuroLeague calendar.
