The Greek club marked its first EuroCup victory since 2013 with 89-86 win
Panionios tastes first EuroCup win in nearly 12 years with OT victory
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Regular Season
Round 1 of 18
Regular Season
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Panionios AthensPAN
8986
NINERS ChemnitzNIN
group b
Overview
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Panionios Athens fans had reason to celebrate on Wednesday as the club secured its first BKT EuroCup win in nearly 12 years, defeating debutants NINERS Chemnitz 89-86. This victory not only ended a long wait but also marked Panionios’s return to the competition for the first time since 2014.
The last time Panionios won a EuroCup game was on December 11, 2013, when it triumphed 77-67 over Besiktas. Since then, the Greek club had been absent from the competition, but their return was nothing short of memorable.
"It’s a historic game for a historic club. Coming back to the EuroCup with Panionios after 11 years is incredibly exciting. And to start this journey with a win makes it even more special," said Panionios head coach Luka Pavicevic after the game. "We’ve been working hard to build a new team, and it was important to begin this chapter with a victory."
The win was especially meaningful for the passionate Panionios fans who filled the arena. "We’re so happy to get the win," said Michalis Lountzis, who led the team with 20 points. "We knew how much it meant to Panionios to return to the EuroCup after all these years. We wanted to make it count. We gave everything."
Lountzis, 27, was instrumental in the win, not only with his scoring but also as the team’s most experienced player in European competition. He is the only current Panionios player with prior EuroCup experience, having averaged 6.7 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 1.6 assists over 10 games with Promitheas Patras during the 2020-21 season. Lountzis has also appeared in 52 EuroLeague games with Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens and Olympiacos Piraeus.
Five Panionios players finished the game in double figures, but it was Jaylen Hands who stole the show. With the score tied at 86 in the final 34 seconds, Hands nailed two crucial three-pointers – his first two of the game after a 1-of-13 shooting performance – sealing the win with a game-winning shot with 6.4 seconds left.
"Jaylen hit some massive shots, and that made all the difference," Lountzis said. "It was a great team effort, but those clutch shots were huge."
Despite his earlier shooting struggles, Hands remained confident. "It took a lot of energy, focus, and those two big shots from Jaylen to win this one," said Coach Pavicevic. "But this win is so important for Panionios, especially at this moment in time."
For Panionios, the victory represents not only a successful return to the EuroCup but also a hopeful start to what it hopes will be a promising new era in European competition.