Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens secured a crucial 82-74 victory over Crvena Zvezda on Friday at Telekom Center Athens, using a dominant fourth quarter to strengthen its EuroLeague playoff position.
The win moved the Greek side to 18-14, keeping it firmly in the race for direct playoff qualification in a tightly packed standings table.
Kendrick Nunn shifted momentum early in the fourth quarter, scoring 11 points in a decisive stretch that turned a five-point deficit into a multi-possession lead.
The guard opened the period with a three-pointer and followed with consecutive shots from beyond the arc, pushing Panathinaikos ahead 69-65 after trailing 60-65.
Nigel Hayes-Davis led all scorers with 20 points, combining perimeter shooting with efficient interior finishes to anchor the offense.
Nikos Rogkavopoulos added 13 points, including six late in the game, while Kostas Sloukas orchestrated the offense with eight assists.
The turning point came on the defensive end, where Panathinaikos limited Crvena Zvezda to 14 points in the fourth quarter after allowing consistent scoring earlier.
Head coach Ergin Ataman adjusted to a smaller lineup featuring Juancho Hernangomez and Hayes-Davis, improving spacing offensively and switching versatility defensively.
Hernangomez finished with nine rebounds and made key defensive plays, including a three-pointer that extended the lead to 75-71 with under three minutes remaining.
Crvena Zvezda struggled from long range, shooting 7-of-27 from three-point territory, which limited its half-court efficiency against a switching defense.
Joel Bolomboy recorded 12 points and five rebounds while Chima Moneke added 12 points and seven boards.
Panathinaikos shot 65.5% on two-point attempts, consistently converting high-percentage looks created by ball movement and spacing advantages.
The Greek club also held a 33-36 rebounding margin despite using smaller lineups, emphasizing positional rebounding and defensive rotations.
The team now travels to face Dubai Basketball on March 24, while Crvena Zvezda heads to Vitoria-Gasteiz to take on Baskonia on March 25.
