Still undefeated!
Olympiacos beat Karditsa on the road 89-75 for the 10th round of the Basket League and bids 2002 goodbye with zero losses (during the whole calendar year) in national competitions.
The ‘red & whites’ were off their game in the first six minutes of the match up (7-5). However, they gradually put even more pressure in defense, moved the ball and with Alec Peters and Thomas Walkup leading the offense, they closed the first quarter at +7 (13-20).
They got to completely impose their tempo in the second quarter, thanks to the very good performance by Michalis Lountzis on both ends of the floor, but also thanks to the fact that the tall line-up with Joel Bolomboy as a power forward and Tarick Black at ‘5’ worked to perfection(25-40 at 18’ and 29-41 at 20’).
With a three by Peters, Olympiacos pushed the lead to 17p. (29-46), however, our team unjustifiably relaxed and the hosts closed in to 11p. (40-51). But that was as far as they went… Bartzokas’ players improved their defensive performance, struck from the perimeter and sent the difference to 23p. (57-80 at 33’). Up until 37’ Olympiacos was leading with 20p. (66-86), but it somewhere then that the team once again slowed down and allowed Karditsa to close the game trailing by 14 (75-89).
* With about 56’’ to go, Giorgos Bartzokas put the 16-year old V. Abosi on the floor together with 20-year old Panagiotis Tsamis, giving them both their debut minutes in the Basket League.
* Sasha Vezenkov (injured) and Isaiah Canaan did not participate the 12-men roster.
The quarters: 13-20, 29-41, 52-69, 75-89.
