Fenerbahce snap 5-game losing streak after miraculous escape in OAKA / News - Basketnews.com

Fenerbahce snapped their 5-game losing streak after reaching an incredible 94-88 overtime win against Panathinaikos.

Credit: Roberto Finizio/Euroleague Basketball via Getty Images Credit Roberto Finizio/Euroleague Basketball via Getty Images

When it looked like Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul (11-7) would suffer their sixth EuroLeague defeat in a row, a little miracle happened.

Dimitris Itoudis squad forced overtime and beat Panathinaikos Athens (6-13) in OAKA 94-88 (18-19, 18-20, 15-20, 27-19, 16-10), snapping their 5-game losing streak.

Meanwhile, Panathinaikos suffered 6th loss in a row. It's the longest Panathinaikos losing streak in the EuroLeague.

Both teams went at each other neck and neck throughout the whole game, and the most crucial moments were no different.

With 2:06 left, Nick Calathes sank a 3-pointer, cutting Fenerbahce's deficit to 1 point (73-74). However, Arturas Gudaitis made both free throws, Mateusz Ponitka made a tip-in after Paris Lee's miss, and with 34.8 seconds left, the Greens built a 5-point lead (78-73).

After that, something hardly imaginable happened. Carsen Edwards made a successful drive into the paint, making it a 3-point game with 31.8 seconds left. Dejan Radonjic took a timeout, but Panathinaikos didn't manage to cross the halfcourt.

Paris Lee lost the ball after being double-teamed, while seconds later, Marko Guduric made a 3-pointer, tying the game at 78.

With 5.0 seconds left, referees made a debatable call by not calling a foul on Mateusz Ponitka. Moments later, the Polish forward had a brilliant opportunity to win the game, but his layup went off the mark, and the game went to overtime.

The overtime was close as it could get, but Fenerbahce took the edge at the very end. Arturas Gudaitis made only one free throw which was good enough to tie the score at 85.

However, Nigel Hayes-Davis scored 7 points in a row, and with 32.9 seconds left, Fenerbahce took a 5-point lead (92-87).

Bacon also made only one free throw, while Guduric answered with two, and 6 points cushion was enough for Fenerbahce to claim the win.

Nigel Hayes-Davis led the way for the visitors, who finished with a career-high 24 points (6/7 2PT, 3/5 3PT, 3/4 FT), 4 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, 7 drawn fouls, and 30 PIR.

Dwayne Bacon was unstoppable for PAO, accumulating 27 points (7/10 2PT, 2/6 3PT, 7/10 FT), 1 rebound, 3 assists, 1 steal, 1 block, 4 turnovers, 6 drawn fouls, and 21 PIR.

Panathinaikos dominated the board, winning it 45-31. 26 out of 45 rebounds were offensive, which is the 2nd-best result of all-time in the EuroLeague. Ponitka alone grabbed 10 offensive boards.

Panathinaikos: Dwayne Bacon 27 (7/10 2PT, 2/6 3PT, 21 PIR), Mateusz Ponitka 14 (2/4 3PT, 12 REB, 26 PIR), Nate Wolters 11 (4/7 2PT, 1/5 3PT), Derrick Williams 11 (7 REB), Arturas Gudaitis 10 (7 REB), Paris Lee 10 (2/9 2PT, 2/7 3PT, -2 PIR).

Fenerbahce: Nigel Hayes-Davis 24 (6/7 2PT, 3/5 3PT, 30 PIR), Carsen Edwards 14, Jonathan Mobley 14 (6/13 2PT, 8 REB, 4 TO), Marko Guduric 14 (3/9 FG), Nick Calathes 12.

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