The South Sudan big man was sensational in his first Panathinaikos start
Wenyen Gabriel rose to Ataman’s challenge with devastating second half
Article
3 Mins read
Regular Season
Round 23 of 34
Group Regular Season
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It’s fair to say that Wenyen Gabriel has been through a period of ups and downs since joining Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens as an emergency mid-season signing. But on Thursday he delivered a strong statement to the Greens and their legion of fans: you can count on me.
The big man was snapped up from Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv in December, shortly after star center Mathias Lessort was ruled out for several months with a broken leg.
Gabriel’s instant impression was outstanding: his debut saw him netting 6 points without a miss from the field, pulling down 8 rebounds, making 5 blocked shots and grabbing 2 steals as his team became the first road victors at FC Bayern Munich all season.
Then it all became a lot more difficult. Over the next four games, Gabriel could average only 2.8 points and 1 rebound, mustering a feeble PIR of just 2.5 per night and spending no more than 10 minutes on the floor as he paid second fiddle to in-form Omer Yurtseven. But then Yurtseven suffered an ankle injury.
For Thursday night’s home meeting with Zalgiris Kaunas, Gabriel’s number was called to make his first start in Panathinaikos colors. He answered that call… And then some.
The 27-year-old led all players with a PIR of 28, achieved by pouring in 15 points on 7-of-8 two-point shooting, along with 8 rebounds and 3 blocked shots in a game-high total of nearly 34 minutes on the floor.
And those numbers only tell part of the story, because Gabriel reserved his dominance for the second half as his team launched an almost unbelievable comeback from 29-49 down to eventual 89-76 winners.
His first points came with the opening play of the third quarter, quickly followed by a couple more as the home team’s initial spurt reduced the deficit to 10 points. Zalgiris resisted and seemed to be taking a 13-point lead – or more – into the final period, but then Gabriel played his part in the most important moment of the game. Protecting his basket on the final play of the third period, he delivered a big block on Dovydas Giedraitis, allowing Kendrick Nunn to run the floor and raise the roof with a buzzer-beating three-point strike.
Game Videos
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Wenyen Gabriel: 'Coach challenged me to step up'
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Gabriel’s huge rejection! Motorola Magic Moment
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Nunn beats the buzzer! Motorola Magic Moment
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Francisco beats the buzzer! Motorola Magic Moment
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Yurtseven's put-back slam! Motorola Magic Moment
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Butkevicius does it at both ends! Motorola Magic Moment
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Butkevicius shows his range! Motorola Magic Moment
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Yurtseven posterizes Akele Motorola Magic Moment
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Nunn hammers it home on the break! Motorola Magic Moment
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/3b41ad96-3937-4f44-8d85-e1141c8d0123.jpg]()
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Smailagic takes off! Motorola Magic Moment
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Smailagic with a big two-handed slam! Motorola Magic Moment
- 00:12
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Dunston's big swat! Motorola Magic Moment
- 00:42
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Lessort rocks the rim in style! Motorola Magic Moment
- 00:58
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Kendrick Nunn: 'We needed that energy, that spark'
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Birutis skies for the dunk! Motorola Magic Moment of the Night
- 00:09
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Samodurov's big block! Motorola Magic Moment
- 00:19
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Nunn with another ankle-breaker! Motorola Magic Moment
- 00:24
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Nunn breaks Ricci's ankles! Motorola Magic Moment
He continued to deliver throughout the fourth quarter, rising for an even bigger block on Sylvain Francisco and maintaining his offensive threat with three more scores including, fittingly, the go-ahead-for-good basket at 71-70.
In the aftermath of the thrilling win, Gabriel admitted that he was acting under orders from coach Ergin Ataman to give his team more.
“It was a must-win game for us, and coach challenged me the other day to step up,” he told EuroLeague.TV. “My teammates have always been in me every step of the way, their belief in me has continued to grow.”
Reflecting more generally on his team’s comeback, Gabriel explained exactly how Panathinaikos turned the game around so dramatically. “We had to pick up our intensity,” he said. “They scored 51 in the first half and we knew this was a game about defense.
“We came out with a different intensity in the second half. We picked up full court, we pressured the guards, we put more emphasis on the pick and roll. Once we gained some momentum, the crowd chipped in with some energy and we were allowed to let talent take over.”
The win keeps the reigning champ in the thick of the race for a top four finish, and Gabriel showed on Thursday that he can play a major part over the coming weeks.
“Every day I continue to put in the work,” he concluded. “We go out there and make a team effort [towards] at the end of the year what we’re trying to go for. Every game matters.”
Every game matters, and every man matters. On Thursday night, nobody mattered more than Wenyen Gabriel.