Marius Grigonis compares Panathinaikos and Zalgiris atmospheres / News - Basketnews.com

Marius Grigonis says Greek fans provide different energy and more influence on the home team.

Credit: Panagiotis Moschandreou/GettyImages Credit Panagiotis Moschandreou/GettyImages

Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens defied the odds and pulled off a huge 89-81 comeback victory over FC Barcelona on Friday night.

Trailing by 16 points in the second quarter, PAO managed to turn the game around and establish a substantial lead. Guard Marius Grigonis, who finished with 8 points in 29 minutes, revealed the halftime motivation provided by coach Ergin Ataman:

"We were 12 points behind [at halftime], but the difference was not significant," Grigonis told SDNA's Christos Boukouras. "In basketball, you can make a turnaround within 3-4 minutes in the game. He [Ergin Ataman] told us to keep playing and be more aggressive on both sides of the floor. And in the end, that was the key."

The electric atmosphere at the packed OAKA Arena also played a significant role in fueling the home team's resurgence.

Grigonis, who previously experienced passionate support from Lithuanian fans while playing for Zalgiris Kaunas, noted the unique energy coming from the Greek crowd.

"It's a little different energy. In Lithuania, there is no such influence," Grigonis underlined. "Here, there are more chants and more people. It's a different kind of energy. People love basketball, support the team, and show it to us."

With just three games remaining in the EuroLeague regular season, Panathinaikos find themselves in a three-way tie for the second spot. Their upcoming matches against Virtus (away), Bayern (away), and ALBA (home) will be crucial in determining their playoff positioning.

"It would be great to get a home-court advantage in the playoffs, and it would also give us a chance to enjoy this atmosphere even more," Grigonis said.

Panathinaikos-Barcelona highlights:

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