Part one: successful!
In a packed SEF, Olympiacos bested Fenerbahce 79-68 for the first leg of the Euroleague playoffs and made the first step to winning the battle that leads to the Final Four.
Oozing excitement and with good percentages from the three-point line, our team got to lead 12-7 at 4', however, the pressing defense by Fenerbahce did not allow the 'red & whites' to set the tempo. The Turkish team closed the first quarter at +2 (19-21) and even got to lead by 5 (21-26) at 12'. The hosts tried to react, but weren't successful in their first run. Inefficient ball movement and poor choices had them trailing y 6 (26-32) at 17'. However, by puting pressure in the back court and with the return of Sasha Vezenkov and Kostas Papanikolaou on the floor, Olympiacos replied with a partial 9-3 and closed the first half in the lead (37-35).
The 3rd quarter though, was a totally different story... Playing a superb defensive game and moving the ball equally well and with Isaiah Canaan 'on fire' from the three point line, Olympiacos completely dominated the game and built a 12p. difference (63-51) at 30'. Running a partail 7-0, the Turkish team dropped the difference to 5p. (63-58) at 32', but Bartzokas' players' reflexes were efficiently put to the test... 'Betting' on their defene, they struck in offense with Kostas Sloukas, Tarik Black and Shaquielle McKissic and regained absolute control (+15, 76-61 at 37'). From there on things got easy... Olympiacos maintained the distance from his opponent and won the game with ease.
The quarters:19-21, 37-35, 63-51, 79-68.
OLYMPIACOS
FENERBAHCE
