Panathinaikos BC AKTOR defeated Anadolu Efes Istanbul 95–81 on the road, in a matchup for Round 5 of the EuroLeague Regular Season. Top scorer for the Greens was Cedi Osman with 29 points, setting a new career high in the competition.

The game started evenly, with the hosts taking a slight four-point lead (10–6 at 4’) before the Greens tied it at 12–12 in the 5th minute. A minute later, the Turkish team went ahead 17–12, but by the 7th minute, Panathinaikos BC AKTOR had taken the lead 19–18 and closed the first quarter up 22–21.

Panathinaikos BC AKTOR extended its lead to 30–23 in the 11th minute, with Anadolu Efes Istanbul cutting it to 30–26 in the 14th. The Greens made it 36–29 in the 16th minute and soon after went ahead by eight (40–32). By the 19th minute, the hosts had reduced the gap to 40–37, but the half ended 43–42 in favor of Panathinaikos BC AKTOR.

Anadolu Efes Istanbul briefly went up 44–43 at the start of the second half, but Panathinaikos BC AKTOR quickly regained control, leading 49–44 in the 23rd minute. By the 26th minute, the Greens had stretched the margin to 57–49, and two minutes later, they built a double-digit lead (65–52). The third quarter ended with Panathinaikos BC AKTOR ahead by 17 (69–52), and early in the fourth, the lead ballooned to +20 (72–52).

Anadolu Efes Istanbul tried to respond, making it 73–61 in the 33rd minute, but the Greens stayed dominant, pushing the score to 81–64 by the 35th. Shortly after, a three-point play by Shorts (90–73) gave Ergin Ataman’s team even more breathing room, as Panathinaikos BC AKTOR sealed a commanding 95–81 victory in Istanbul.

Quarter scores: 21–22, 42–43, 52–69, 81–95

Anadolu Efes Istanbul (Kokoskov): Larkin 18 (3), Beaubois 3 (1), Hazer, Lloyd 13 (1), Babb 5 (1), Papagiannis 4, Cordinier 5, Smits 7 (1), Dozier 15 (3), Swider 3 (1), Osmani 4, Jones 4.
Panathinaikos BC AKTOR (Ataman): Shorts 7, Kalaitzakis 3, Osman 29 (6), Holmes 10, Sloukas 7 (1), Rogkavopoulos, Grant 11 (1), Nunn 4, Toliopoulos, Hernangomez 9 (1), Mitoglou, Yurtseven 15.

Ataman: “A very important win for us”

Panathinaikos BC AKTOR head coach Ergin Ataman spoke at the press conference following the team’s away victory over Anadolu Efes Istanbul:

“A very important win for us because Anadolu Efes Istanbul was coming off a big victory against Olympiacos. We started with Sloukas, who has the experience to organize the game — he was the key tonight with 12 assists and zero turnovers. We controlled the game.

Osman was outstanding, especially in the second half — he had a career game. Kalaitzakis contributed with his aggressiveness and defense, bringing great energy. When Anadolu Efes Istanbul lost Osmani and Papagiannis, the game changed — they played with five guards, and we responded the same way. Tonight, our guards played better than theirs, and that’s why we got the win.”