A win over Maccabi with a fourth consecutive 100-point game
Olympiacos defeated Maccabi 100–93 at the Peace and Friendship Stadium (SEF) for the 23rd round of the EuroLeague, improving their record to 14–8 in the competition.
Sasha Vezenkov once again stood out for the ‘red & whites’, finishing the game with 28 points (6/8 from three-point range) and 6 rebounds. He was supported by Nikola Milutinov with 13 points and 9 rebounds, and Evan Fournier with 13 points and 9 assists.
Giorgos Bartzokas opened the game with Walkup, Dorsey, Papanikolaou, Vezenkov and Milutinov, with the Serbian center scoring the team’s first point from the free-throw line. Olympiacos started nervously, trailing 5–11 after four minutes of play, forcing Bartzokas to call a timeout. Immediately after, Olympiacos responded, with Sasha Vezenkov knocking down 2 threes to become the first player in double figures, while a basket by Evan Fournier gave the hosts their first lead of the game (22–21) with 1:30’’ remaining in the quarter. Maccabi had hit 5 of 8 3-pointers during that stretch, but Vezenkov was unstoppable and, with a buzzer-beating three at the end of the period, reached 15 personal points to make it 27–24.
In the second quarter, Olympiacos was relentless from start to finish. Bartzokas’ team played very strong defence, allowing just 10 points to the Israeli side, while Evan Fournier was brilliant both as a playmaker and a scorer, dishing out 5 assists and scoring 12 points. Tyrique Jones and Nikola Milutinov dominated the boards, and SEF erupted when Shaquielle McKissic entered the game one minute before halftime. The halftime lead reached as many as 24 points, with Vezenkov converting a second buzzer-beater to end the period.
In the third quarter, Olympiacos struggled for eight minutes, allowing Maccabi to cut the deficit to 8p. (70–62). During that stretch, the ‘red & whites’ committed twice as many turnovers as they had in the entire first half (8), and the Israelis, shooting well from the perimeter, looked ready to seize the opportunity. Olympiacos responded with an and-one by Donta Hall and a three-pointer by Vezenkov, closing the quarter with a 14-point lead (76–62).
Maccabi showed they were in good rhythm at the start of the fourth quarter as well. The Israelis cut the margin to eight twice more and, led by Sorkin, gave everything to get back into contention. At that point, Olympiacos went to Milutinov offensively, and the Serbian center was outstanding until he was knocked out of the game following an unsportsmanlike foul by Brissett.
Olympiacos reached the 100-point mark for the fourth consecutive game with a three-pointer by Thomas Walkup and eventually secured the win, 100–93, as the Israelis hit two three-pointers in the final ten seconds to reduce the margin to seven.
The quarters: 27–24, 58–34, 76–62, 100–93.
