Virtus Bologna maintained its perfect home record with a commanding 92–75 victory over Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens in Round 6 of the EuroLeague on Friday night at the historic PalaDozza.
The Italian side, now 4–2, delivered a complete performance at both ends of the floor, outscoring the visitors in all four quarters and building a double-digit lead by halftime. Panathinaikos, also 4–2 after the loss, struggled defensively and never recovered from a sluggish start.
Virtus took control early with disciplined defense and efficient execution in transition, opening a 48–35 halftime advantage. Coach Dusko Ivanovic’s team dominated the glass with a 39–28 rebounding edge and collected 10 steals while forcing 13 turnovers.
Carsen Edwards led all scorers with 22 points, hitting 8 of 18 shots and adding two three-pointers. Matt Morgan contributed 15 points off the bench, while captain Alessandro Pajola produced a career performance with 10 points, 7 rebounds, and 7 assists.
Pajola’s all-around display set the tone for Virtus. The 24-year-old guard recorded a performance index rating (PIR) of 17 by halftime and ended with a career-best 23.
Virtus executed efficiently on offense, shooting 56.3% inside the arc and 40.9% from three-point range. Every rotation player contributed as Ivanovic spread minutes evenly across his roster.
Panathinaikos head coach Ergin Ataman was ejected in the third quarter after arguing with officials.
The Greens were held to just 19% from beyond the arc, connecting on only 4 of 21 attempts. Reigning MVP Kendrick Nunn, limited to 5 first-half points, finished with 19 after a stronger second-half showing. Terry Shorts and Cedi Osman added 15 and 14 points respectively, but the visitors’ defensive lapses proved costly.
With this win, Virtus remain unbeaten at the PalaDozza after earlier victories over Real Madrid and AS Monaco. They will next travel to face Zalgiris Kaunas, while Panathinaikos will host Maccabi Tel Aviv in Round 7.
