Real Madrid beat Panathinaikos to lead EuroLeague

By Can Erozden

ANKARA (AA) - Spanish basketball powerhouse Real Madrid toppled Panathinaikos OPAP Athens 87-75 Thursday to lead the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague standings.

Real Madrid's American forward Anthony Randolph was one of the key players in the Spanish side’s victory in Greece, scoring 22 points at the Olympic Athletic Center of Athens (O.A.C.A.).

The Spanish club's center Walter Tavares made a double-double with 14 points and 14 rebounds.

Real Madrid’s French forward Fabien Causeur dropped 12 points.

Panathinaikos OPAP Athens' Greek playmaker point guard Nick Calathes scored 19 points and produced seven assists.

Another Panathinaikos guard, Jimmer Fredette, clocked up 18 points and took nine rebounds.

Panathinaikos Greek forward Ioannis Papapetrou produced 11 points.

Following their victory in Athens, Real Madrid topped the EuroLeague standings with a 13-3 win/loss record.

Panathinaikos were in sixth spot as the Athens club won nine games but lost seven.

Real Madrid's next game will be against LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne of France on Jan. 3.

- Results:

Anadolu Efes - Maccabi FOX Tel Aviv: 99-79

CSKA Moscow - AX Armani Exchange Milan: 78-75

ALBA Berlin - KIROLBET Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz: 81-57

Panathinaikos OPAP Athens - Real Madrid: 75-87

LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne - Khimki Moscow Region: 92-88

- Friday's fixture is as follows:

Zenit St Petersburg - Crvena Zvezda mts Belgrade

Fenerbahce Beko - Valencia Basket

Bayern Munich - Zalgiris Kaunas

Barcelona - Olympiacos Piraeus