Panathinaikos, run by a 37-year-old player with little experience in the Euroleague

The current Euroleague champion is unable to defend his title this Sunday. After all the matches at Tow, Panathinaikos presented 82-76 against Fenerbahçede Sarunas Jasikevicius.

Defense was the first key to determining the Turkish team’s victory, leaving Panathinaikos well below their normal average points. The Athens team has finished their normal phase as the top scorer in the competition (87.1 points per game without counting extensions).

The second great key to Fenerbahce’s victory was the sudden one after the rest of the generous McColm. The 37-year-old veteran base arrived in Istanbul in the middle season, and was particularly crucial with its points in the third quarter.

Fenerbahce began sending 12 points to 12 points (35-23) in the second quarter, but Panathinaikos’ response reduced his detriment and only put two in the 28th minute (47-45). At that time, McCollum, who had not scored a single point in the first half, signed six consecutive six consecutive signs to give the team confidence in the most sensitive moment of the game (53-45).

McCollum came back when Panathinaikos scored four points on two minutes of play (70-66). Overcoming Sheedy Osman’s defense, American veterans have given the air to the team and have finished undermining the lessons of the Still Champion. In the end, he finished with 13 points (3/3 triples), 3 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 recovery and 14 ratings in 23 minutes.

Despite his age, McColum only played three incomplete seasons in the Euroleague (2017-18, EPES in Kimki 2020-21, along with Fenerbahce), but his career in Europe has been long, including Apollo Patras, Panionios, Galatasarei, Unisic Kazan and Lomomotibu Kubankariyakayakan. McCollum received the spirit of his younger brother, the star spirit of the NBA CJ McCollum, the New Orleans Pelican star from the stands.