Panathinaikos 
Maccabi Rapyd Tel Aviv Panathinaikos
Made/Att
Made/Att
Made/Att
DEF OFF TOT
CM RV
FV AG
Maccabi Rapyd Tel Aviv
Made/Att
Made/Att
Made/Att
DEF OFF TOT
CM RV
FV AG
Spahija: "Can't wait for the game to begin"
Maccabi held its final practice just before their trip to Athens where they will face Panathinaikos. Tarik Black: " We’re just going out there to play basketball, play hard enjoy the game and win"
“I’m very excited”, said Tarik Black, who’s looking forward for his EuroLeague debut. “Especially going to this first trip get the first taste of what it actually feels like to be in an away atmosphere and just see the crowd going crazy and see what they are made off”.
“The whole team is good I think that everybody is as talented as me, I was very fortunate to have had the opportunity to play in that level. We’re just going out there to play basketball, play hard enjoy the game and win”.
“My entire career I didn’t find out what is the best for me”, Coach Neven Spahija replied when asked about what is the best way to start off the season, in a home or an away game. “The best is to win whenever you play and who are you playing against, but to play first game away or at home I still don’t know”.
When asked about the matchup between Scottie and Calathes Coach Spahija replied: “I think it will be interesting to see, Calathes is there with this team a long time and he is an established player, Scottie is a new player in the team, match up wise I don’t think he will be on him”.
Maccabi have already faced Panathinaikos in the preseason with the later having the upper-hand as they got the 81:87 win against a very thin roster in yellow and blue due to NT obligations (Maccabi were without 7 players in Nicosia). Johnny O’Bryant led the scorers with 26PJeremy Pargo had 16P and DeAndre Kane scored 13.
After the game in Athens Maccabi will return to Israel and will play on Saturday against Eilat, then they will start their preparations for their first EuroLeague home game of the season versus CSKA Moscow.
Maccabi loses EuroLeague season opener 84:89 to Panathinaikos
Panathinaikos imposed their will early in the game but Maccabi came back, an early green run in the fourth quarter left a yellow and blue side extremely disappointed. Wilbekin (24P & 8A), Black (14P & 6R) and Caloiaro (11P&7R) led the scorers
Coach Spahija’s starting five: Roll, Black, Wilbekin, Kane
and O’Bryant. Panathinaikos started the game firing on all cylinders getting the 6:0 lead forcing Coach Neven Spahija to call for an early timeout. Panathinaikos continued imposing their will as they increased their lead to 13:2. Wilbekin and Kane started reacting for Maccabi as they trimmed Pao’s lead to 15:9, Wilbekin continued stepping up time and again as he found Tarik for an amazing dunk forcing Coach Xavi Pascual to call for a timeout 15:14. Langford made it 21:16 but Tyus and Kane made sure Maccabi will stay close to the greens (21:20), both teams traded blows till the end of the first quarter with Spahija’s squad trailing 26:24.Wilbekin tied the game at the beginning of the second quarter (26:26), Tyus connected with Wilbekin to give Maccabi the 28:30 lead. Thomas and Caloiaro exchanged threes as Maccabi kept the 33:35 edge. Lojeski gave Pao the 37:35 lead but Scottie and Kane reacted with a 5:0 run to take the 37:40 lead. Black made his presence felt on both ends of the floor as Maccabi remained ahead 41:45 with under a minute left in the second quarter but Calathes finished the first half strong as they finish the first half ahead 46:45.
Wilbekin and Caloiaro gave Maccabi the 48:50 lead at the beginning of the third quarter, Pao completed a 7:2 run forcing coach Spahija to call for a timeout (55:52). Antetokounmpo’s dunk made it 59:55, but Wilbekin and Black came big again for Maccabi as the yellows tied the game (59:59). Roll and O’Bryant gave Maccabi the 61:65 lead but Pao completed a 10:2 run to finish the third quarter ahead 70:67.
Both teams struggled to score at the beginning of the fourth quarter with Lojeski being the first to score as Pao increased their lead to 72:67. Thomas scored from deep to make it 75:68 but Wilbekin answered with one of his own (75:71). Pappas and Lasme scored with ease forcing coach Spahija to call for a timeout with just over 05:30 remaining in the game (79:71). Lojeski completed a
three point play but Caloiaro answered with four of his own (82:75) as coach Pascual called for a timeout. Roll’s jumper made it 82:77 but Lojeski answered from downtown with under two minutes remaining in the game. Scottie and Roll scored five points to give Maccabi a fighting chance (87:82) with 32 seconds remaining in the game but Gist and Papapetrou sealed the 89:84 win for Pao from the line.