A win over Partizan in a packed Peace and Friendship Stadium
Olympiacos struggled but secured a very important victory over Partizan (80 - 71) at the Peace and Friendship Stadium (SEF), improving their EuroLeague record to 6 - 3.
In a very tough game, Olympiacos defeated Partizan by nine points, with Thomas Walkup as the team’s top scorer (15 points) and Nikola Milutinov as the MVP based on efficiency (8 points, 10 rebounds). The 'red & whites' achieved their second consecutive win in front of a packed SEF crowd.
Giorgos Bartzokas started the game with Walkup, Dorsey, Ward, Vezenkov, and Milutinov. Vezenkov scored the team’s first five points. Partizan managed to balance the game mainly thanks to Washington’s shooting, but Thomas Walkup, with 10 points and two consecutive 3-pointers in the first quarter, was our team’s X-factor. The first period ended tied at 20–20.
In the second quarter, both defenses tightened up significantly, and Partizan tried to close the lanes to their basket. Ntilikina scored Olympiacos’ first points of the quarter with a shot from beyond the arc, and then Fournier followed with another 3-pointer to make it 31 - 25; the team’s largest lead in the first half.
The Serbians then went on a 10 - 0 run to take a 4-point lead, with Tyrique Jones finishing strong near the rim and causing problems for Olympiacos’ big men. McKissic broke the black-and-white run, and Olympiacos went into halftime trailing by one (38 - 39).
In the second half, Olympiacos regained the lead after a Dorsey 3-pointer, but the momentum didn’t last. The hosts missed their next four 3-point attempts, while Jones and Washington remained in great form for Partizan, helping their team maintain control. The quarter ended with the Serbs up by five (53 - 58) after a basket by Washington.
The fourth quarter turned into a real dogfight, with both teams battling hard. At the start, Obradović’s team attacked inside the paint, but Olympiacos responded, led by Ntilikina and Hall, to tie the game at 64 - 64 with five minutes left.
In the final three minutes, Walkup for Olympiacos and Brown for Partizan hit consecutive 3-pointers, while McKissic’s fast-break dunk gave Olympiacos a 2-point lead (73 - 71) with 98'' left. Milutinov then played a key defensive possession against Milton, and Dorsey’s 4-for-6 free throws extended Olympiacos’ lead to two possessions. The game ended with a 9-point difference (80 - 71), giving Olympiacos a 6 - 3 record ahead of Wednesday’s (12/11) home matchup against Žalgiris in Faliro.
The quarters: 20–20, 38–39, 53–58, 80–71.
