JERUSALEM, Jan. 22 (Xinhua) -- Maccabi Tel Aviv beat Greek champion Panathinaikos 75-71 at home on Thursday night in the 24th round of the EuroLeague.
The win lifted Maccabi to a 10-14 record and kept its hopes of reaching the play-in intact, while Panathinaikos fell to 14-10 in front of 11,000 fans at Menora Mivtachim Arena in Tel Aviv.
Panathinaikos led 21-20 after an even first quarter. Maccabi moved ahead in the second period through assists from Roman Sorkin and scoring from Iffe Lundberg to open a 34-29 lead.
T.J. Shorts and Jerian Grant kept the visitors close and Maccabi led 42-39 at halftime.
Panathinaikos took control after the break, with Richaun Holmes helping it move in front 57-52. Tamir Blatt hit timely 3-pointers to cut the gap and Maccabi trailed 59-60 heading into the fourth quarter.
The final period became a defensive battle with poor shooting from both sides. With 1:37 remaining, Nikos Rogkavopoulos hit a 3-pointer to cut Maccabi's lead to 73-71, but Panathinaikos missed several late chances. Lundberg sealed the win at the free-throw line with six seconds left.
Lundberg led Maccabi with 16 points, while Blatt scored 15, all from 3-point range, and Sorkin added 13. Grant scored 14 points for Panathinaikos, with Shorts and Rogkavopoulos adding 13 each.
EuroLeague leader Hapoel Tel Aviv (14-6) will play Partizan in Belgrade on Friday, while second-place Fenerbahce (15-7) hosts Baskonia in Istanbul.
Real Madrid rose to third after a 90-78 home win over Monaco, which slipped to sixth. Olympiacos moved up to fourth following a 74-68 road win over Anadolu Efes.
Barcelona, in fifth, hosts Lyon-Villeurbanne on Friday, while Valencia fell to seventh after a 93-89 loss to Bayern Munich. Olimpia Milano lost 86-82 at home to Zalgiris Kaunas, and Dubai won 99-79 away to Paris. Virtus Bologna hosts Red Star Belgrade on Friday. ■
