There were half dozen big story-lines to chose from in Partizan's overtime win over Panathinaikos, but the late-game performance from No. 7 trumped them all. Kevin Punter is back.
Partizan looks ahead with return of leader, captain, hero Punter
Article
3 Mins read
Regular Season
Round 11 of 34
Group Regular Season
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In an overtime thriller on Thursday night, Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade fought for a come-from-behind 92-87 win over Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens. The game, among many other things, marked the return of Partizan's All-EuroLeague guard Kevin Punter who missed the last five games due to a leg injury.
Partizan rallied from a 10-point deficit in the final 4 minutes of regulation, mounting a comeback behind Punter, its team captain who made several clutch shots and big plays late in regulation and overtime, before icing the game with a pair of free throws.
From zero to hero
At the end of the game, Punter was the hero, but he could have easily been the goat.
Coming off the bench, Punter missed his first 5 shots, and was still scoreless when Panathinaikos went up 61-71 with under 5 minutes to go in regulation.
But then Punter turned it on, he finished with 13 points, on 5-for-12 field goal shooting and 3 assists.
"It is good to be back", Punter said after the win, acknowledging and explaining his early struggles.
"I had to get in a little bit of a rhythm throughout the game. They were hedging me in half court, that was a little bit difficult", Punter admitted. "Being first game back and getting hedged in half court was a little crazy. I just tried to find my spots. I don't think I was too rusty, I think I was patient enough to make good reads to make the momentum going."
Team captain for a reason
For three and a half quarters, it looked as though Partizan was better off with Punter on the bench. However, the most successful EuroLeague head coach of all-time, Zeljko Obradovic, had some totally different ideas.
"He is a team leader," Obradovic explained after the win. "And when the leader is out there, everybody looks at the leader. He is the one who lines them up, so to say. And then things look different."
That was especially visible during the second half, as Punter was repeatedly gathering players for quick talks, and shouting advice to his teammates.
"When I chose him for team captain last season, the reason was clear to everyone on the team and on our staff. He is an example for everyone for everything. Always the first one in, the last one out, always works individually, he fights. And example at everything."
Obradovic also added: "I don’t know if another player is as important for his club like Punter is for us. Maybe Tavares for Real Madrid."
Game Videos
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Anadolu Efes Istanbul-Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens | Playoffs Game 4 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
- 00:10
![https://media-cdn.cortextech.io/39ce9d04-8ae1-49e2-9708-9cb4d2d95d8e.jpg?crop=693%3A389%3Anowe%3A324%3A84]()
Nunn with a deep three! Motorola Magic Moment
- 00:13
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Yurtseven with a sublime dunk! Motorola Magic Moment
- 00:08
![https://media-cdn.cortextech.io/dc5c5983-9050-40f5-b59c-70060b22e7fb.jpg?crop=1080%3A607%3Anowe%3A135%3A26]()
Juancho rocks the rim! Motorola Magic Moment
- 00:14
![https://media-cdn.cortextech.io/eda85e32-bc84-4d86-894b-22e228e57e7b.jpg?crop=1080%3A607%3Anowe%3A165%3A16]()
Yurtseven on the alley oop! Motorola Magic Moment
- 01:22
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2025/04/30/O8WZDwLviBOUDHjZHslMrL6CLIIE91hT-1746046313957.jpg]()
Kendrick Nunn: 'I'm just glad it's not my tooth!'
- 02:06
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Konstantinos Mitoglou: 'We expect a tougher game in the next game'
![https://media-cdn.cortextech.io/0c3a8223-b4f9-4317-8bba-6948f6dc3597.jpg]()
Anadolu Efes Istanbul-Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens | Playoffs Game 3 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
- 00:25
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Crucial block by Juancho! Motorola Magic Moment
- 00:11
![https://media-cdn.cortextech.io/d64e1f28-6b0c-45e3-84b6-107de8c9df7d.jpg?crop=1080%3A608%3Anowe%3A78%3A114]()
Cedi Osman steals and dunks! Motorola Magic Moment
![https://media-cdn.cortextech.io/e17354f8-b7ce-452d-9a15-d80d4de50cf7.jpg]()
Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens-Anadolu Efes Istanbul | PO Game 2 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
- 00:12
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Kostas Sloukas with a crazy buzzer-beater! Motorola Magic Moment
- 00:12
![https://media-cdn.cortextech.io/ce0b6b0d-6c6e-40c5-87f9-7b4a211dfd69.jpg?crop=1080%3A608%3Anowe%3A166%3A31]()
Jerian Grant shows big hustle! Motorola Magic Moment
- 00:57
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Juancho Hernangomez: 'We have a lot of talent, everybody can step up'
- 00:44
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Jerian Grant: 'That's what championship teams do'
![https://media-cdn.cortextech.io/d9020bd2-42d4-4eaf-89e5-aaea0842cf2e.jpg]()
Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens-Anadolu Efes Istanbul | PO Game-1 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
- 00:24
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Yurtseven at it again! Motorola Magic Moment of the Night
- 00:11
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Grant seals the win! Motorola Magic Moment
- 00:11
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Juancho flies to the rim! Motorola Magic Moment
- 00:09
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Yurtseven on the alley-oop! Motorola Magic Moment
![https://img.youtube.com/vi/6Z4LRqBLipY/maxresdefault.jpg]()
Kendrick NUNN Got MIC’D UP and SCORED BIG | AS Monaco - Panathinaikos
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The 7th Star - Trailer
- 00:52
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Kendrick Nunn: 'The one I'm most proud of is the 10 assists'
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Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens-Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade | RS Round 34 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
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Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade-Real Madrid | RS Round 34 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
- 00:18
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Monster dunk by Koprivica! Motorola Magic Moment
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EuroLeague 25 Moments: When Panathinaikos took Virtus’s crown in 2002
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On This Day: When Kevin Punter sent Partizan to the playoffs
![https://media-cdn.cortextech.io/2f100722-49f2-4f8a-91a6-6ee309d18b44.jpg]()
Zalgiris Kaunas-Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade | RS Round 33 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
- 00:41
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Kendrick Nunn: 'We came here with one job: to win'
![https://media-cdn.cortextech.io/4990cf7f-d53c-41a1-9be1-9ff5569e3f25.jpg]()
AS Monaco-Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens | RS Round 33 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
- 00:16
![https://media-cdn.cortextech.io/c599f37b-7bc4-4bbf-9bfa-9be2501df55f.jpg?crop=1248%3A702%3Anowe%3A51%3A52]()
Jones with a spectacular move! Motorola Magic Moment
- 00:10
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Pokusevski with a sublime alley oop! Motorola Magic Moment
- 00:11
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Title hereGabriel attacks the rim! Motorola Magic Moment
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/848bf0eb-f634-416b-9d86-c9dab468d332.jpg]()
Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens-Paris Basketball | RS Round 32 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/37b92e58-4d46-406b-86c8-3957e76ef374.jpg]()
FC Bayern Munich-Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade | RS Round 32 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
- 00:26
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Tyrique Jones with a hoodie dunk! Motorola Magic Moment
- 00:09
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The Jones duo does it again! Motorola Magic Moment
- 01:24
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Juancho Hernangomez: 'Great teams keep fighting until the end'
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/ef5799c3-50b4-4c70-b294-33bf62ebb034.jpg]()
Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv-Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens | RS Round 31 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
- 00:22
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/7528d58e-ee90-4218-bdc1-3a7c9743d6b4.jpg?crop=1080%3A607%3Anowe%3A68%3A100]()
Gabriel dominates on both ends! Motorola Magic Moment
- 00:15
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Nunn rejects Clark! Motorola Magic Moment
- 01:25
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Carlik Jones: 'It's been a tough three games for us'
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/fc094d7c-287c-442a-97e9-52ec4317f26c.jpg]()
Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade-ALBA Berlin | RS Round 31 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
- 00:15
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/4f5dffc2-0d00-4116-9ea5-760ebab631a9.jpg?crop=1080%3A608%3Anowe%3A151%3A9]()
Davies charges away and dunks! Motorola Magic Moment
- 00:14
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/434be5f2-482f-4257-89d2-1651d853a1f3.jpg?crop=1080%3A608%3Anowe%3A171%3A58]()
Tyrique Jones with a big dunk! Motorola Magic Moment
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/6d9f03b5-c304-4262-8080-8963e7998c99.jpg?crop=2408%3A1354%3Anowe%3A0%3A482]()
On This Day: When Dusan Kecman hit 7 threes in Game 1 of the playoffs
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/1e29304b-abd7-4650-85b0-12746ef3a04f.jpg]()
Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade-Anadolu Efes Istanbul | RS Round 30 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
- 00:42
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Jerian Grant: 'It was one of the most special nights of my life'
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/e3b816b9-d399-410f-aac3-89d5687d83d2.jpg]()
Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens-ALBA Berlin | RS Round 30 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
Offense 'nobody can guard'
It took Punter a while to get going, but he put all that Obradovic spoke about on display on Thursday night. And his teammates felt no different.
"It is good to have captain Kev [Punter] back," said forward Zach LeDay, who himself had a big game, leading all scorers with 23 points. "That was major for him to give us some perimeter explosion on both ends. It was good he was able to seal it the right way, and finish it."
LeDay, who has been a teammate of Punter's for four straight seasons, one with Milan and three now at Partizan, added another thought: "The main thing [against Panathinaikos] was getting stops and rebounds. Offensively, nobody in Europe can guard us. That's how we feel."
Even with Punter missing half of the last 10 games, Partizan ranked second in the EuroLeague with 87.0 points per game, and first in two-point shooting (62.0%) before Round 11.
Now, with Punter back, as well as masked-man Aleksa Avramovic returning after a broken nose, and with big man Bruno Caboclo quickly catching up to EuroLeague speed, Partizan looks poised for a climb up the standings.