Panathinaikos faces Villeurbanne for a 2-0 record!
The “Greens” host ASVEL tonight at the “Telekom Center Athens” ASVEL tonight at the “Telekom Center Athens” for the second round of the EuroLeague, hoping to celebrate just as they did in last week’s opener against the other French team in the competition.
ΣΧΕΤΙΚΑ ΑΡΘΡΑ
Against Paris, Obradović’s team dominated throughout the game and ultimately secured an easy 91-72 victory, led by Francisco (18 pts, 4 assists), who received strong offensive support from Lesor (15 pts, 9 reb), Yambousele (13 points, 5 rebounds), Mitoglou (11 points, 6 rebounds), and Mantzouka (10 points, 4 rebounds).
Thus, Panathinaikos got off to a strong start in the new season, but a few days later, they lost to PAOK in Peristeri in the Stoiximan Super Cup semifinal. So tonight, they’ll be looking to bounce back and return to winning ways, followed by another home game against Maccabi Tel Aviv (Oct. 2, 9:15 p.m.), before hosting Vikos Ioannina for its league opener.
On the roster, Nan, Hayes-Davis, Sloukas, and Fall remain sidelined, while Juancho Hernangómez has been ruled out of both tonight’s game and the upcoming match against the Israelis after suffering a muscle spasm and beginning treatment.
“We’ll have to play well; it’s always the same. Villeurbanne played very well against Maccabi; they have experienced and athletic players, such as Mills and Crowder. In all their games, they hit a lot of three-pointers, and we have to defend against that, as well as their transition game and their one-on-one play. We have to do whatever it takes to be at the level required for a EuroLeague game. “The team’s morale is very good,” Obradović said ahead of tonight’s game.
As for Villeurbanne, in its season opener it celebrated an 84-74 home victory over Maccabi, led by Crowder (19 pts, 4 reb, 4 ast) and Mills (15 pts). With Tony Parker at the helm, the French team was without Washington, Jackson, Sestina, and Dosu-Yovo, while later this week—with back-to-back games—they will host Valencia. In the French league, they opened with a loss on the road against Roanne and last Sunday defeated Sochaux 97-85.
Damir Javor, Milivoje Jovcic, and Jordi Aliaga will be the three referees for tonight’s game.
Panathinaikos went 2-0 in its two meetings with Villeurbanne last season, winning 91-85 in Athens and 79-78 in France.
Shortly before the game at the “Telekom Center Athens,” the match between Maccabi Tel Aviv and Besiktas will tip off at the “Aleksandar Nikolic” Arena in Belgrade (9:05 p.m.)! In their season opener, the Israelis lost 84-74 on the road against Villeurbanne, while the Turks put up a fight but ultimately lost by a narrow margin of 96–94 to Valencia, marking the team’s return to the EuroLeague after 13 full years.
*photo source: KYPE
