First defeat for the TOP-16
Olympiacos lost to Anadolu Efes 84-70 in Istanbul hence suffering its first defeat for the Euroleague TOP-16.
In the first quarter, our team with Vangelis Mantzaris scoring from every corner succeeded in leading 17-18. In the second quarter, the Turkish team created problems for the 'reds' defense and Anadolu Efes got the lead, but the 'reds' found solutions and answers and with a three by Oliver Lafayette at the end of half-time Olympiacos was leading 37-40.
The third quarter was not good the Piraeus team. The players of Giannis Sfairopoulos scored only 12 points during that period and the Turkish team was ahead 57-52. With a partial 10-2 during the first four minutes of the last quarter the difference was up to digit numbers (67-54) t 36'. The margin got broader at the end and our team lost 84-70.
The quarters: 17-18, 37-40, 57-52, 84-70
Anadolu Efes (Ivkovic): Balbay 4, Osman 2, Perperoglou 8 (1), Saric 4, Draper 14 (4), Krstic 13, Lasme 12, Korkmaz, Janning 8 (2), Heurtel 9 (1), Bjelica 10 (1).
Olympiacos (Sfairopoulos): Petway, Hunter 12 (8reb), Dunston 6, Spanoulis 2 (3as), Sloukas 8 (3as), Printezis 6, Mantzaris 11 (3 3p,3as), Lafayette 11 (3 3p, 4as, 2st), Darden 7 (1 3p, 4reb), Lojeski 7 (2).
GIANNIS SFAIROPOULOS: "Anadolu Efes played better in the second half and deserved the victory. We began well and as planned in the first half. We played good in defense, moved the ball well and due to it we had good percentages and took the lead. However, this changed into the second half. We played well in the first half, but they played well in the second. We lost our concentration in the second half, we did not have good psychology due to some mistakes we made and now we need to look ahead. We need to be tougher in our next game".
VANGELIS MANTZARIS: "We started out well, but in the second half we did no play good defense, we received 85 points and we not at all pleased with our performance. We were static in our offense, Efes made big shots, got the difference and the victory. Of course Efes showed to want the victory more than us, they fought harder and got it. We are going to each road game to win, we lost this one, but we are only moving forward, we are not looking back. The only 'good' thing about it was that it was a road game".