Saras Jasikevicius: 'We have a great group of guys'

Barcelona coach happy with team's performance in win over Panathinaikos

Jasikevicius praised his players for their effort and execution in the victory

Barcelona coach Saras Jasikevicius was full of praise for his team after their 74-68 win over Panathinaikos in the EuroLeague on Thursday night.

The victory was Barcelona's fifth in a row in the competition and moved them up to second place in the standings.

Jasikevicius was particularly pleased with his team's performance in the second half, when they outscored Panathinaikos by 15 points.

"We played a great second half," Jasikevicius said. "We were more aggressive and we made some big shots. I'm very happy with the win."

Barcelona were led by Nikola Mirotic, who scored 20 points and grabbed 10 rebounds. Cory Higgins added 16 points, while Brandon Davies had 12 points and 8 rebounds.

Panathinaikos were led by Nemanja Nedovic, who scored 16 points. Ioannis Papapetrou added 14 points, while Okaro White had 12 points and 7 rebounds.

The win was a big one for Barcelona, who are now in a strong position to qualify for the EuroLeague playoffs.

Jasikevicius was full of praise for his players, who he said have shown great character in recent weeks.

"We have a great group of guys," Jasikevicius said. "They are always fighting and they never give up. I'm very proud of them."