Panathinaikos suffered their first defeat of the 2026-27 EuroLeague season on Friday, falling 91-81 to Hapoel Tel Aviv at the Telekom Center Athens.
The Greens struggled defensively and spent much of the Round 6 clash chasing the game before briefly turning the contest around. However, they could not complete the comeback as Hapoel secured an important road victory in Athens on October 16.
Despite playing at home, Panathinaikos failed to find consistent rhythm at either end of the court, allowing Hapoel to dictate the pace for long stretches.
Panathinaikos Comeback Falls Short
Hapoel established an early advantage, leading 29-25 at the end of the first quarter before taking a 48-46 lead into half-time.
The visitors extended their advantage in the third quarter, moving ahead 68-61 and putting Panathinaikos under increasing pressure.
The Greek side managed to fight its way back into contention and briefly took the lead, raising hopes of a comeback in front of the home crowd. However, defensive lapses and inconsistent offensive execution prevented the Greens from completing the turnaround.
Hapoel maintained its composure down the stretch to close out the 10-point win.
Francisco Leads Panathinaikos With 22 Points
Francisco was Panathinaikos’ leading scorer with 22 points, adding four rebounds and four assists.
Badio contributed 12 points, while Mathias Lessort finished with 11. Cedi Osman, Grant and other members of the rotation struggled to provide the consistent scoring needed to keep pace with the visitors.
For Hapoel, LeDay led the way with 17 points and five rebounds. Bryant added 14 points, while Oturu scored 13.
Vasilije Micic contributed nine points and eight assists, helping Hapoel control the game and create opportunities for its scorers.
The visitors’ balanced attack proved decisive against a Panathinaikos defence that struggled to contain their opponents.
EuroLeague Standings After Round Six
The defeat leaves Panathinaikos with five wins and one loss after six EuroLeague games. Hapoel Tel Aviv improved its record to four wins and two defeats.
While the loss ends Panathinaikos’ unbeaten start, the Athens club remains well positioned early in the regular season. The team will now look to respond in its next EuroLeague fixture.
Final score: Panathinaikos 81-91 Hapoel Tel Aviv
Quarter-by-quarter: 25-29, 21-19, 15-20, 20-23.
Top scorers
- Panathinaikos: Francisco 22, Badio 12, Lessort 11.
- Hapoel Tel Aviv: LeDay 17, Bryant 14, Oturu 13.
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