Things looked bleak for Panathinaikos Athens at the end of the first quarter of Tuesday’s home meeting with Virtus Segafredo Bologna. The Greens had stumbled their way through the first quarter to trail 12-21 and were sent to the sidelines with the unwanted accompanying noise of jeers from their disappointed fans.
Williams stepped up in Greens' time of need
Article
3 Mins read
Regular Season
Round 9 of 34
Group Regular Season
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Enter Derrick Williams. With 135 EuroLeague appearances, the American forward is the second-most experienced player on the Panathinaikos roster at this level (trailing only Arturas Gudaitis with 152 EuroLeague games), and he took matters into his own hands to inspire a much-needed fightback.
After scoring 5 points to help bring his team closer before halftime, Williams really stepped up after the break. First, he got the fans on their feet – and involved in the game – by throwing down a pair of fierce dunks, and then continued to be a regular presence both inside and outside the arc as the Greens surged into a potentially game-winning lead.
Game Videos
- 00:42
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2024/12/19/sx9FfUfl5lRXzvYG33fjC7J0EARBaCUx-1734638739035.jpg]()
Kendrick Nunn: 'We need everyone to keep Mathias in their prayers'
![https://img.youtube.com/vi/qf9io_7AvuE/maxresdefault.jpg]()
Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens-Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz | RS Round 17 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
- 00:09
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/6b1f426d-1d0b-46e6-b4d7-2689c0f48437.jpg?crop=885%3A497%3Anowe%3A266%3A65]()
Lessort rocks the rim in style! Motorola Magic Moment
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/2705678b-bcca-415f-867f-87dc8c8d2cc3.jpg]()
Olympiacos Piraeus-Virtus Segafredo Bologna | RS Round 16 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
- 00:12
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/285de101-6c2e-48e1-b15f-749a9e7673bd.jpg?crop=1080%3A607%3Anowe%3A129%3A164]()
Clyburn beats the halftime buzzer from deep! Motorola Magic Moment
- 01:51
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2024/12/17/kL5IuyqLsptazN4hFGEB7bE1W3N4ZUVk-1734470445456.jpg]()
Kendrick Nunn: 'We needed that energy, that spark'
![https://img.youtube.com/vi/vDMG2AlXBXM/maxresdefault.jpg]()
Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens-EA7 Emporio Armani Milan | RS Round 16 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
- 00:09
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/db9eca36-65ca-47f5-9a18-4c1a95eb9045.jpg?crop=1241%3A698%3Anowe%3A20%3A27]()
Samodurov's big block! Motorola Magic Moment
- 00:19
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/3a121f47-4ccb-4d40-9042-3d259ed78a28.jpg?crop=1080%3A607%3Anowe%3A109%3A59]()
Nunn with another ankle-breaker! Motorola Magic Moment
- 00:24
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/a3ed0c28-8428-4695-980d-dc06e46bee07.jpg?crop=1080%3A608%3Anowe%3A51%3A73]()
Nunn breaks Ricci's ankles! Motorola Magic Moment
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/66cd8665-3775-41cf-b901-f70822433973.jpg]()
Anadolu Efes Istanbul-Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens | RS Round 15 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
- 00:10
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/73f243fe-2937-4e29-aec9-ea005a1d1e40.jpg?crop=908%3A510%3Anowe%3A227%3A38]()
Juancho drives for big dunk! Motorola Magic Moment
- 00:58
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2024/12/13/yiYw7J1mdObtBpxioZUlot8gA6GBlW0A-1734080491542.jpg]()
Dusko Ivanovic: 'Tonight, we had luck'
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/9784b387-7c1e-4d89-b6a0-645268f0b32d.jpg]()
Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz-Virtus Segafredo Bologna | RS Round 15 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
- 00:16
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/ece3dd1c-da77-4e53-9e3f-293a5989bff2.jpg?crop=1080%3A608%3Anowe%3A126%3A135]()
Clyburn banks in the improbable shot! Motorola Magic Moment
![https://img.youtube.com/vi/_AHQFNY7GeU/maxresdefault.jpg]()
Virtus Segafredo Bologna-Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade | RS Round 14 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
- 00:30
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/d97c0f1a-1eb4-4a5d-809f-d6c556a42aa5.jpg?crop=1080%3A607%3Anowe%3A132%3A24]()
Clyburn and Cordinier combine for the perfect play! Motorola Magic Moment
- 00:11
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/f2facf28-8946-41f7-8741-ff953f6bc2a5.jpg?crop=1080%3A607%3Anowe%3A164%3A27]()
Polonara denies Daum! Motorola Magic Moment
- 00:11
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/a7338539-b552-4291-be32-4ae0cc61e82b.jpg?crop=1080%3A608%3Anowe%3A161%3A52]()
Shengelia and Cordinier sweet combination! Motorola Magic Moment
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/d533a928-6d2e-4081-a681-5326bc8d6373.jpg]()
Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade-Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens | RS Round 14 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
- 00:11
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/97c49f43-a844-47d3-bac8-bbbf8a4c313d.jpg?crop=1080%3A608%3Anowe%3A132%3A114]()
Lessort soars! Motorola Magic Moment
![https://img.youtube.com/vi/wgCfGu2ABpo/maxresdefault.jpg]()
Virtus Segafredo Bologna-ALBA Berlin | RS Round 13 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
- 00:09
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/ceb1ce8d-3d89-4ad0-a089-a32265fcc825.jpg?crop=1219%3A686%3Anowe%3A41%3A93]()
Clyburn throws it down! Motorola Magic Moment
- 00:09
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/d18ebad5-3a42-48fd-9a22-89e0c5615b0d.jpg?crop=1179%3A663%3Anowe%3A86%3A108]()
Shengelia's double block! Motorola Magic Moment
- 01:29
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2024/12/03/6jXDvfSnvn6XFZ9hR5sZHnVFOEGOSfJj-1733265475640.jpg]()
Kendrick Nunn: 'I came in ready'
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/07f63778-1d31-4fb5-b2ff-8d8b38b701c5.jpg]()
Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens-FC Barcelona | RS Round 13 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
- 00:12
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/7d706a77-2053-4c18-b9e2-f366c805b2a1.jpg?crop=1225%3A689%3Anowe%3A35%3A103]()
Lessort with a steal and a dunk in transition! Motorola Magic Moment
- 00:30
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/22629fd2-fe4a-4e26-a86d-b4a553830d6d.jpg?crop=1215%3A683%3Anowe%3A5%3A71]()
Nunn with another midcourt buzzer-beater! Motorola Magic Moment
- 00:26
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/22629fd2-fe4a-4e26-a86d-b4a553830d6d.jpg?crop=1220%3A686%3Anowe%3A0%3A30]()
Nunn beats the buzzer again! Motorola Magic Moment
- 00:20
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/3a121f47-4ccb-4d40-9042-3d259ed78a28.jpg]()
Nunn with a buzzer-beating mid-court triple! Motorola Magic Moment
- 00:31
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2024/11/29/joPs3tx4a9UdUVWfjE5TUixmW1HE1yUa-1732918996777.jpg]()
What a power slam by Lessort! Motorola Magic Moment of the Night
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/d6554e25-d46b-48d9-be89-9f220016aadb.jpg]()
Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens-AS Monaco | RS Round 12 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
- 00:27
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/a0cb1602-ab20-407d-8c9b-2f153a7150b3.jpg?crop=980%3A551%3Anowe%3A213%3A1]()
Lessort has lift-off! Motorola Magic Moment
![https://img.youtube.com/vi/rqHknWewwgU/maxresdefault.jpg]()
Paris Basketball-Virtus Segafredo Bologna | RS Round 12 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
- 00:09
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/a0d9bb97-958d-4ea9-b7f0-40741513c594.jpg?crop=1080%3A607%3Anowe%3A97%3A32]()
Ante Zizic with a big dunk! Motorola Magic Moment
![https://img.youtube.com/vi/GZzt0du0g6A/maxresdefault.jpg]()
Zalgiris Kaunas-Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens | RS Round 11 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
- 00:09
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/358db529-d28b-4d72-aacf-51eb16816819.jpg?crop=1080%3A607%3Anowe%3A126%3A56]()
Yurtseven with the putback slam! Motorola Magic Moment
- 00:10
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/0a0edd92-5f4f-456f-8cca-62aff656ce7a.jpg?crop=1350%3A759%3Anowe%3A0%3A43]()
Big men connection! Motorola Magic Moment
![https://img.youtube.com/vi/9hK0SFuRquE/maxresdefault.jpg]()
Virtus Segafredo Bologna-Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul | RS Round 11 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/00b75cd0-79a5-41f5-8275-cb3ba273994a.jpg]()
Virtus Segafredo Bologna-Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens | RS Round 10 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
- 00:55
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2024/11/15/Avsk60VOydUfRHm9aSxNcaeNbhL4Lra9-1731708674547.jpg]()
Kendrick Nunn: 'I love coming here, I love Bologna'
- 00:20
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/bb96d3f6-1448-45a3-8519-5cbfbd81ec17.jpg?crop=1080%3A608%3Anowe%3A270%3A25]()
Clyburn beats the buzzer! Motorola Magic Moment
- 00:10
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/9d22acee-dcf3-40d2-b30e-b53962988c92.jpg?crop=1080%3A608%3Anowe%3A131%3A0]()
Huge put-back by Polonara! Motorola Magic Moment
- 00:14
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/4233ab3e-dfd5-48e7-87ee-6a9a577dd1bd.jpg?crop=1080%3A608%3Anowe%3A189%3A0]()
Clyburn goes coast-to-coast! Motorola Magic Moment
![https://img.youtube.com/vi/zAQbOas_bH8/maxresdefault.jpg]()
Umana Reyer Venice-Turk Telekom Ankara | Round 8 Highlights | 2024-25 BKT EuroCup
- 00:23
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2024/11/13/GHfqylWLVKCzBSR4mBoRZheOhuTwcaGp-1731535189809.jpg]()
Jones Airlines! | Motorola Magic Moment of the Night
- 00:13
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/9e20c9ca-a53a-40e5-8a3f-ee64af9b1b39.jpg?crop=1080%3A608%3Anowe%3A77%3A153]()
A vicious alley-oop from Kabengele! Magic Moment
- 00:15
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/508b9c17-8039-4c50-a063-866920150f45.jpg?crop=1080%3A607%3Anowe%3A147%3A88]()
A monster one-handed jam by Makoundou! Magic Moment
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/aa5193d9-3d8a-4314-996b-1206a350fbac.jpg]()
Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade-FC Barcelona | RS Round 9 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
- 01:17
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2024/11/13/lX2Hw4DGt1wDy5OtfPpXp6g1YlLDJB0g-1731525994598.jpg]()
Alex Abrines: 'I was mad, I was mad at us'
In the end, overtime was required, and Williams delivered the decisive moment by keeping his calm to stroke a nerveless triple – his fifth of the night on eight attempts – with 16 seconds remaining to seal a vital victory.
Williams ended up with 26 points and 8 rebounds, meaning he has now scored double digits in the last six straight games, and he is clearly a crucial figure in the Greens’ hopes of climbing the standings.