How Panathinaikos controlled the game from the opening minutes
Panathinaikos started the match with strong defensive play and accurate three-point shooting from Lefteris Mantzoukas. The team reached an 11-4 lead after three minutes. The Greeks extended the advantage to 14-7 by the fifth minute after shots from Mantzoukas and Tyson Walker. They reached 17-7 by the seventh minute. The visitors showed nervousness and struggled to find rhythm against the home defence. Panathinaikos continued to build the lead steadily through effective perimeter shooting and defensive stops that forced turnovers and poor shot selection from Bourg. By the end of the opening period the margin stood at fifteen points with a 25-10 score, setting the tone for the remainder of the contest. The home side improved its execution as the quarter progressed and limited Bourg to just ten points while converting its own opportunities efficiently. The squad of Zeljko Obradovic used its early defensive intensity to dictate the tempo and prevent the French side from settling into any consistent offensive flow.
Second quarter surge creates a 20-point halftime lead
Panathinaikos opened the second period with a 7-0 run to lead 32-10 after twelve minutes. The margin grew further to 37-14 by the fourteenth minute and then 46-22 by the seventeenth minute. By halftime the score stood at 51-31. The Greek team created open shots and converted most of them while limiting Bourg’s offensive options. The run continued with additional baskets inside and from beyond the arc, pushing the difference to twenty points at the break. Obradovic’s side maintained high defensive intensity, contesting every shot and preventing easy transition opportunities for the French team. Panathinaikos held control despite some complaints from the head coach and finished the half with a clear advantage after improving its overall rhythm and execution on both ends. The visitors were unable to mount any sustained response as the home side kept finding open looks and converting them at a high rate.
Third quarter maintains comfortable advantage
The pace slowed after the break but Panathinaikos kept a margin above twenty points. The score moved to 59-34 by the twenty-fifth minute and later 62-36 by the twenty-seventh minute. The third quarter ended 69-44. The home side continued to score inside the paint and prevented any serious comeback attempt. Although the tempo dropped, the Greeks remained efficient near the rim and continued to control the boards, denying second-chance points to the visitors and preserving the large cushion through the end of the period. Panathinaikos focused on interior scoring while Bourg found fewer open looks and remained behind by a wide margin at the end of the third quarter. The defensive structure stayed intact even as the overall speed of the game decreased.
Final quarter sees Bourg reduce the deficit before Panathinaikos closes out
Bourg used a slow start by Panathinaikos to cut the lead to 69-51 by the thirty-second minute through consecutive baskets from Walker. Sylvain Francisco responded with key baskets that restored a twenty-point margin at 78-58 by the thirty-fourth minute. The Greeks secured the 90-69 victory without further trouble. Quarter scores were 25-10, 51-31, 69-44 and 90-69. The visitors capitalised on a brief lapse in focus but could not sustain the momentum once Francisco took charge of the offence again. Panathinaikos closed out the game comfortably after re-establishing control and reached the final without major issues. The French team managed a short run but the home side quickly reasserted dominance to finish the contest.
Player performances and statistical highlights
Sylvain Francisco led Panathinaikos with 18 points on 2-of-4 two-pointers, 3-of-6 three-pointers and 5-of-6 free throws along with five rebounds and five assists. Mathias Lessor scored 15 points and grabbed seven rebounds. Lefteris Mantzoukas added 12 points including four three-pointers and three rebounds. Kostas Mitoglou contributed 10 points and three rebounds. For Bourg, Tyson Walker finished with a game-high 20 points on 2-of-6 two-pointers, 5-of-7 three-pointers and 1-of-4 free throws along with four rebounds and six assists. The source provides full box-score details for both teams listing contributions from Kalaitzakis, Bandio, Varvaritis, Grant, Yabusele, Bonga, Hernangomez and the rest of the Panathinaikos rotation as well as Jordan, Mouler, Nelson, Samuel, Labanca, Gaudo, Soliman, Cedric, Woodberry, Selebang and Mone for Bourg. These contributions show how depth across the roster supported the comfortable win.
Frequently asked questions
Who will Panathinaikos face in the Pavlos Giannakopoulos final?
Panathinaikos will play PAOK on 19 September at 20:00.
What was the final score of the semi-final?
Panathinaikos won 90-69 against Bourg.
Who was the top scorer for Panathinaikos?
Sylvain Francisco scored 18 points to lead the winners.
How large was the halftime lead?
Panathinaikos led 51-31 at halftime, a 20-point advantage.
Did Panathinaikos face any difficulties during the match?
The team built a large lead early and maintained control, although Bourg reduced the margin in the final quarter.
