Iraklis vs Panathinaikos – Preview & Prediction (Feb. 19, 2026)
Iraklis and Panathinaikos meet in the Greek Cup semifinals in Crete on Thursday, Feb. 19. This one promises a clash between an underdog on the rise and a big-name club trying to steady the ship after a rocky spell.
Match preview
Iraklis have done well to climb back into contention after a tough start to the season. The arrival of coach Zoran Lukic has steadied them and they’re now level with Mykonos in the domestic standings at 7-10. That’s solid progress considering they were in the second division last year.
Their quarterfinal win over Mykonos was emphatic — a 93-65 scoreline — and the game was effectively decided in the first half. Iraklis opened on a 30-14 first-quarter run and led 54-29 at the break. DJ Funderburk led the way with 24 points and eight rebounds, while Chris Smith posted a 17-point, 10-rebound double-double. Zaccheus Darko-Kelly, Lance Ware and Nikolaos Tsiakmas all contributed, too.
That said, Iraklis will be missing key pieces. Justin Wright-Foreman picked up an injury in a league game and is sidelined, and Justin Edler-Davis wasn’t able to recover in time for the Cup. They’ll need to rely on the depth and collective effort that carried them through the quarters if they want to cause an upset.
Panathinaikos have had a turbulent run recently. They sit lower than expected in the EuroLeague but remain strong domestically. A couple of stinging losses — including a road defeat to Aris and a buzzer-beater EuroLeague loss — left questions, and a home defeat to Kolossos Rhodes was a clear low point.
Still, they answered in the Cup quarterfinals with a dominant 101-71 win over PAOK. New signing Nigel Hayes-Davis made an immediate impact in his debut, scoring 16 points in 16 minutes. Richaun Holmes paced the team with 21 points and Kendrick Nunn added 14; Cedi Osman and Dinos Mitoglou also chipped in. That performance looked like the kind of reset the squad needed after some earlier setbacks.
Prediction and what to watch
Head-to-head, Panathinaikos have had the upper hand for a while, carrying a long winning streak into this matchup; they beat Iraklis 97-82 earlier this season. On paper they remain favorites, but Cup games can be unpredictable — especially when the underdog is riding momentum and the favorite is still finding its rhythm.
Injury news matters here: Iraklis are without Wright-Foreman and Edler-Davis, while Panathinaikos are missing Mathias Lessort. Panathinaikos also had to manage roster limitations on foreign players for the Cup, affecting their rotation decisions.
Key matchups to watch: Iraklis’ frontcourt rebounders like Funderburk against Panathinaikos’ more experienced bigs; the battle in transition and perimeter production will likely decide the tempo. If Panathinaikos defend aggressively and control turnovers, they should be able to impose their game. If Iraklis sustain the intensity they showed against Mykonos, they’ll keep it close.
Tip-off time: Thursday, 19.02.2026, 19:00 CET.
Prediction (casual): Expect Panathinaikos to advance, but not without a fight — a realistic scoreline might be around 88-75 in favor of Panathinaikos. Iraklis will make things uncomfortable early and could push the game into the final minutes if they hit their shots and play with confidence.