Despite a powerful first-half performance, Zalgiris Kaunas could not withstand a second-half offensive surge from Panathinaikos Athens, ultimately falling 85-92 in a hard-fought contest at Zalgirio Arena on Tuesday evening.
Zalgiris came out strong, dominating the paint to build a commanding 50-40 lead by halftime. However, the momentum shifted after the break, as Kaunas’ offense struggled against a tightened Panathinaikos defense and was held to just 14 points in the third quarter. A barrage of three-pointers from the visitors in the final period proved to be the difference.
Moses Wright scored a career-high 22 points and Nigel Williams-Goss bagged 17, with Panathinaikos’s defense holding Sylvain Francisco to just 3 points.
Cedi Osman paced Panathinaikos with 22 points and Kendrick Nunn netted 21, while TJ Shorts paired his 15 points with 10 assists and Omer Yurtseven netted 14.
