Huge victory in Tel Aviv!
Nothing stops him in Europe! Olympiacos won Maccabi Tel Aviv in the packed "MENORA MIVTACHIM ARENA" in Tel Aviv 69-68 and now has a perfect record of 3-0 for the Euroleague, at the same time forcing the "People's" team to surrender to its first defeat in the season for the competition!
Our team led from the start by 8p. (12-4 at 4'), thanks to good defense and good offensive choices. Maccabi however was not late to respond and with a 9-0 streak took the lead for the first time at 9' (13-14). The hosts allowed the 'reds' many open shots from the perimeter, shots that the Sfairopoulos players took but did not get in (3/14 threes in the first half). Despite that, Spahija's team did not succeed much more than leading by 4p. at 14' (24-20). Olympiacos was later on much more patient in regard to offense, took the ball in the pain and finished half time leading 35-33.
The two teams were struggling to score in the second half (43-43 at 28'). However, using their superiority in rebounding and with Giorgos Printezis 'on fire' in the offense (he scored 8 back to back points with two threes and two), the 'reds' got a 6 points lead (45-51 at 30'). Maccabi, that was constantly trailing, exploited on the defensive gaps of the 'reds' (despite having gotten substantial solutions from the perimeter during that time), and had a one point game (68-69 with 31'' to the end) with a three by Roll and a lay up by Cole. Mantzaris' three did not get in at the end of the Olympiacos offense and a missed lay up by Cole thanks to Papanikolaou's pressure sealed the game.
The quarters: 18-18, 33-35, 45-51, 68-69
Maccabi Tel Aviv (Spahija): Deshaun 2, Roll 7(1), Cane 6, Τyus 6, Dibartolomeo 4, Cohen, Cole 22(1), Bolden 7, Parakhouski, Zoosman, Jackson 14(1)
Οlympiacos (Sfairopoulos): ΜcLean 8, Τoliopoulos, Papapetrou 4(3 reb.), Αgravanis 3(1 3p., 4 reb.), Μilutinov 8 (8reb., 2 as., 2st.), Strelnieks 5(1), Printezis 21(3), Papanikolaou 7(1 3p., 9 reb.), Mantzaris 5(1), Roberts 4(3 as.), Τhompson 4(3as.).
"Defense was the key"
To defense and the fact that Olympiacos controlled the game for most its part, were the elements attributing to the victory according to Giannis Sfairopoulos: "It was a very good game, a very close one. Both teams fought very hard for the victory. I think that in total, we controlled the game and this was thanks to our good defense. We disorganized Maccabi's offensive game and their transition. We knew that Maccabi has been playing much better this season, more as a team. We knew that we would have to have good team work to stop them on both ends of the floor, so that we can find the right way to attack. At the end, when Maccabi tried to make the come back and we lost the 6 points margin, we showed character. We were also lucky because Maccabi got the last shot, but missed. Congratulations to both teams. It's a great victory for us".
The Olympiacos coach did not omit thanking the 'reds' fans that traveled with the team charter. "I would like to thank all the Olympiacos fans, as well as those of Maccabi, who really know basketball. I with to thank all those that traveled with us to support us and we paid them back with the victory. Good luck to Maccabi in the upcoming games".
Asked on whether the key to the victory was that Olympiacos got to stop Maccabi's perimeter players, he answered that: "Maccabi has many guards that control the ball very well and are very athletic players as well as good scorers. It's very tough playing against them. Dibartolomeo, Cole, Jackson and Roll, are exceptional scorers and ball handlers. It's tough to stop them. In the first part, Cole scored 14 points, so we did not do a great job at stopping him, but we stopped the others, Dibartolomeo and Jackson. I think that in the second half we focused at stopping Cole and we did that, but as you saw Jackson on fire after that. It's hard to play against Maccabi. The good thing is that we kept them at a low score and that was the key. We stopped the guards, who don't only score, but also create".
The game's main protagonist, Giorgos Printezis, stressed: "We came in focused, played good defense, controlled the tempo for most part of the game and got an important victory. We move on…".