Valencia Basket delivered one of its most complete road performances of the season on Friday, earning a 79-89 win over Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens at the Telekom Center and halting the Greens’ four-game winning streak.
The visitors climbed to 9-5 and moved into a share of second place, while Panathinaikos fell to the same record after struggling to contain Valencia’s relentless perimeter pressure and balanced scoring.
Darius Thompson set the tone with a composed, all-around effort, finishing with 19 points, 6 assists, 8 rebounds and 2 steals in 25 minutes. His impact was felt early as he directed Valencia’s spacing and later powered the decisive runs in the second half.
Panathinaikos opened the game with crisp ball movement from its loaded backcourt. TJ Shorts, Kostas Sloukas and Jerian Grant each recorded 3 assists before halftime, and Kendrick Nunn became the first player in double figures as the home side built steady momentum.
Valencia, however, stayed within reach through volume three-point shooting. Pedro Martinez’s players attempted 21 triples before the break, keeping the deficit manageable despite 38 first-half points.
The turning point arrived in the third quarter, when Thompson’s long-range strike ignited a 9-0 burst that handed the visitors a 57-61 lead.
Just before the period ended, Kam Taylor buried a buzzer-beating three for his third triple of the night, allowing Valencia to enter the final quarter with control.
Nate Reuvers and Taylor continued the barrage from deep, stretching the gap to 65-75 with just over seven minutes remaining. Panathinaikos stayed within striking distance as Grant’s baseline save set up Shorts for a vital three, cutting the deficit to 74-77.
Thompson then delivered the game’s defining play. Catching a pass from Omari Moore in stride, he rose inside the arc and hammered a right-handed dunk over Juancho Hernangomez, momentarily quieting the home crowd and shifting the momentum for good.
From there, Valencia tightened its rotations and closed the contest with disciplined execution. Thompson added the final basket to cap a night in which nine teammates scored and the Taronjas collected 41 total rebounds, including eight from Thompson and four from centers Nate Reuvers and Neal Sako.
Panathinaikos posted 79 points despite 23 from Nunn and 19 from Shorts but committed 17 turnovers and shot 8-for-27 from three.
Valencia countered with 14 made threes, including four from Taylor, and produced a 27-point third quarter that changed the rhythm of the game.
Valencia returns home to face Anadolu Efes in Round 15, while Panathinaikos travels to Milan to meet EA7 Emporio Armani on the same night.
