Panathinaikos Women secured a hard-fought 75-65 road win over San Giovanni Women in the EuroCup Women on October 22, 2026, using a decisive third-quarter run and a disciplined defensive performance to pull away late. The Greek side trailed briefly in the first half but controlled the second half with poise and physicality.

Match overview

The opening two quarters were closely contested. San Giovanni started well in front of its home crowd, knocking down early perimeter shots and attacking the offensive glass. Panathinaikos answered with strong inside play and transition baskets, taking a 33-33 tie into halftime after a back-and-forth second quarter.

The game changed immediately after the break. Panathinaikos opened the third quarter with a 14-2 run, forcing San Giovanni into turnovers and contested jumpers. The visitors’ lead grew to 15 by the end of the period, and although San Giovanni fought back in the fourth, Panathinaikos never allowed the margin to fall below eight points in the final five minutes.

Key moments

The first four minutes of the third quarter were the difference. Panathinaikos switched aggressively on screens, disrupted San Giovanni’s rhythm and turned defense into offense. A pair of steals led to easy layups, and a three-pointer from the wing capped the run. San Giovanni called timeout, but the home side could not recover its first-half shooting touch.

Tactical story

Panathinaikos won the game with defense. The visitors forced 18 turnovers, limited San Giovanni to 5-of-24 shooting from beyond the arc and controlled the defensive glass in the second half. Offensively, Panathinaikos attacked the paint consistently and drew fouls, reaching the free-throw line 22 times. San Giovanni’s half-court offense became stagnant in the third quarter, relying on isolated drives against a compact defense.

Standout players

Elena Papadopoulou led Panathinaikos with 22 points and eight rebounds, scoring key baskets in the third-quarter run. Maria Kaltsidou added 15 points and five assists, while the frontcourt controlled the paint defensively. For San Giovanni, Giulia Bianchi finished with 18 points and seven rebounds, but the home side lacked enough secondary scoring to match Panathinaikos’ balance.

Season impact

The win gives Panathinaikos an important road result and strengthens its position in the group standings. San Giovanni remains competitive but will need to address its third-quarter struggles and perimeter shooting before the next round. With the group phase tightening, Panathinaikos’ defensive identity and ability to close out road games could prove decisive.