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.
