Panathinaikos Loses Again, This Time to Kolossos Rhodes!
This was the kind of result that makes you double-check the standings. Kolossos walked into the Telekom Center and dropped 102 points on Panathinaikos Athens, leaving with a 102–97 win in Round 19 of the Stoiximan GBL. It wasn’t just an upset — it was a first. In 25 previous trips to Pana’s floor, Kolossos had never won. Until now.
For Ergin Ataman’s group, it’s loss No. 3 in league play, joining earlier stumbles against Olympiakos and Aris Thessaloniki. On paper, that’s survivable. In context, it nudges a different question: is this just a midseason wobble, or something more structural about rhythm, focus and defensive edge?
Exceptional 3-Point Shooting Proves Decisive
Kolossos didn’t just hang around — they shot their way into control. The offensive efficiency, especially from deep, tilted the floor early. By halftime, they were 11-of-17 from three (64 percent) and up 56–49, forcing Panathinaikos to defend wider and faster than it wanted to.
Tevin Mack was the accelerant. He poured in 19 points and buried 6 of his 7 attempts from beyond the arc before his night ended abruptly in the third quarter, ejected after picking up a technical on his fifth personal foul. Even that didn’t swing the momentum back. Kolossos steadied, pushed the lead to 12 midway through the fourth (90–78), and absorbed the inevitable push.
Panathinaikos made one last surge, tying it at 94–94 with 70 seconds left behind Kendrick Nunn’s shot-making. But Kennedy answered immediately, scoring the next five points to restore separation and effectively close it at 99–94 — the kind of late-game execution that turns a surprise into a statement.
Remarkable Individual Performances
Kolossos had contributions across the board. Galvanini anchored the interior with 16 points and 12 rebounds. Nichols filled up the stat sheet — 17 points, eight assists and five steals — while Mack’s 19 points (6-of-8 from three) set the early tone. Randle added 12 points and seven assists, Kennedy chipped in 14, and former Strasbourg big man Dan Akin supplied 10 points and six rebounds. For Panathinaikos, Cedi Osman led with 19 points, followed by Kendrick Nunn with 15 — just two days after returning to action — and Holmes with 12.
For Aris Lykogiannis’ group, this is the kind of win that can ripple through a relegation fight. The math was simple and decisive: 15-of-30 from three for Kolossos, compared to just 7-of-22 for Panathinaikos. That gap from the arc framed everything about this game. One lingering note, though: still no appearance from Milan Barbitch, the French guard who hasn’t played since January 4.
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