The reigning champions relinquished their crown after falling short in key moments against a disciplined Fenerbahçe outfit, led by head coach Šarūnas Jasikevičius.
The Turkish side now advances to Sunday’s final (25 May), where they will meet Monaco, who overcame Olympiacos in the other semi-final. This marks Fenerbahçe’s first final appearance since 2018 and their opportunity to win a second EuroLeague title, following their 2017 triumph.
Panathinaikos, meanwhile, will face Olympiacos in the third-place playoff, also on Sunday.
Offensive struggles and defensive lapses
Under the guidance of head coach Ergin Ataman, Panathinaikos entered the Final Four with hopes of retaining the title. However, the team’s inconsistency in both attack and defence ultimately proved decisive. Lacking creativity and scoring from key players—Kostas Sloukas (2 points), Juancho Hernangómez (5), Dinos Mitoglou (0), and Omer Yurtseven (2)—the team struggled to find offensive solutions.
The turning point came midway through the fourth quarter when Kendrick Nunn, Panathinaikos’ top scorer on the night with 19 points, was disqualified with five fouls and 5:45 remaining. His departure left the Greek side without its primary scoring threat at a crucial stage, allowing Fenerbahçe to close out the match.
Fenerbahçe dominate from long range
Fenerbahçe maintained control throughout the game and never lost the lead. Their success was built on accurate perimeter shooting and well-timed scoring runs. Tarik Biberović contributed 15 points (3/6 from three-point range), Eric McCollum added 13 (3/6), Devon Hall posted 18 (4/6), and Nicolo Melli added 9 points.
Panathinaikos found offensive support in Cedi Osman, who scored 22 points, and Jerian Grant, who added 15. Mathias Lessort returned to action after a five-month injury absence and played 14 minutes, scoring 7 points but clearly lacking match sharpness.
Giannakopoulos: “We will come back stronger”
Speaking after the match, Panathinaikos president Dimitris Giannakopoulos acknowledged the team’s shortcomings:
“We don’t celebrate Final Four appearances like other clubs. We are Panathinaikos, and we don’t make excuses or sugar-coat our failures. This year, we failed—but we will come back stronger. Today, everyone, without exception, was below expectations. Congratulations to Fenerbahçe.”
Coach reactions
Ergin Ataman congratulated Fenerbahçe and pointed to defensive issues and missed opportunities:
“They deserved the win. We didn’t respond well to their defensive switches and made many individual errors. After Nunn fouled out, we failed to capitalise on our chances. McCollum was excellent, and our guards couldn’t match their output. Lessort returned after a long absence, and I believe he will continue to improve, especially for the domestic league finals against Olympiacos.”
Šarūnas Jasikevičius praised his team’s composure and resilience:
“We showed heart. It wasn’t always attractive basketball, but we fought. These are the kinds of games where you need to be smart rather than pretty. Our players left everything on the court. I hope we can play with more freedom and confidence in the final.”
Match summary
Panathinaikos started slowly and committed five turnovers in the first quarter, allowing Fenerbahçe to take an early lead. Despite efforts from Osman and Grant to close the gap, Panathinaikos struggled to sustain momentum. Nunn’s scoring helped them stay competitive, but once he fouled out, Fenerbahçe’s perimeter players—particularly Hall and McCollum—delivered clutch baskets to preserve the lead.
The Turkish side’s consistent shooting and superior execution in decisive moments sealed their path to the final, while Panathinaikos was left to reflect on a missed opportunity to make history with back-to-back titles.
