Tough overtime defeat for Maccabi Tel Aviv

After yellow-and-blue storms back to take late lead, Panathinaikos prevails in Euroleague.

By ALLON SINAI
Maccabi Tel Aviv guard Yogev Ohayon drives to the basket against Ioannis Bourousis of Panathinaikos during last night’s 83-75 overtime loss for the yellow-and-blue in Greece. (photo credit: UDI ZITIAT)
Maccabi Tel Aviv guard Yogev Ohayon drives to the basket against Ioannis Bourousis of Panathinaikos during last night’s 83-75 overtime loss for the yellow-and-blue in Greece.
(photo credit: UDI ZITIAT)
Maccabi Tel Aviv fell to 2-4 in the Euroleague on Thursday, losing 83-75 to Panathinaikos in overtime after squandering a late lead in Athens.
The yellow-and-blue fought back from a 12-point deficit in the fourth quarter, going on a 15-0 run to take the lead. But Andrew Goudelock and Devin Smith both missed opportunities to clinch the win in the final minute and Panathinaikos dominated the additional five minutes.
It took Maccabi almost three minutes to score its first points of the night, allowing Panathinaikos to open a 7-0 lead. Tel Aviv was within just a single point (13-12) entering the final two minutes of the first quarter, but the hosts scored the final five points of the period to maintain their lead (18-12).
The yellow-and-blue got the second frame off to an even worse start from the first, requiring more than four minutes to score a basket.
A Chris Singleton three-pointer gave Pao a double-digit cushion (32-22) for the first time and the hosts held a slender, yet significant, seven-point cushion (35-28) at the break.
A 9-0 surge increased Panathinaikos’ margin to 16 points (46- 30) midway through the third quarter.
The game looked to be as good as over, but after scoring just one of its first nine threepoint attempts, Maccabi found its range from beyond the arc.
The visitors were within single digits (52-43) ahead of the final 10 minutes thanks to three triples and cut the deficit to a mere two points with a 7-0 run to start the fourth quarter.
Panathinaikos would reestablish a 12-point margin (64-52), but Maccabi stormed back.
It took Tel Aviv less than three minutes to erase the entire gap, with Devin Smith’s free throws with three minutes remaining handing Maccabi its first lead of the night (65-64).
Tel Aviv would net 15 unanswered points before Panathinaikos scored again, but Maccabi couldn’t complete the job.
James Gist forced overtime with 10 seconds to play and the hosts were unstoppable in the extra period