Elimination in Italy...
Olympiacos did not make it in Siena and was edged for a third time in a row, thus being eliminated. The 'reds' lost 88-76 to the Italian team and were eliminated from the Final Four.
Dusan Ivkovic’ players began with concentration, but halfway through the first quarter lost control and hadn’t been able to return till the third quarter.
The ‘reds’ tried, closed the difference to a five point margin, but were not able to do anything better against a team that has been better throughout the series and won fairly.
Τhe quarters: 29-18, 50-36, 68-61, 88-76.
Per quarter: 29-18, 21-18, 18-25, 20-15.
Siena (Simone Pianigiani): ΜcCalebb, Ζisis 6, Hairston 25(1), Carraretto, Rakovic 2, Lavrinovic 19(2), Kaukenas 5(1), Ress 4, Michelori, Jaric 12(1), Stonerook 10(2), Μoss 5(1).
Οlympiacos (Dusan Ivkovic): Papaloukas, Νesterovic 5, Spanoulis 7(1), Bourousis 16(1), Μavrokefalides 5, Νielsen 3, Erceg 4, Τeodosic 10, Halperin 10(2), Gordon 16(2).
DUSAN IVKOVIC: It has been a very tough game which we started very badly. The two three-pointers by Stonerook in the beginning at the buzzer showed we had no concentration and that’s how we remained throughout the first half. We had lost the game from the beginning. When you receive 50 points from a team like Siena in such a game, it’s very difficult to come back. We tried in the second half, came close but did not have enough energy and we did not read the game right. We tried very hard in the two first phases of the Euroleague, but unfortunately, we did not play at play-offs level now. Siena has been the better team and deserves to play in the Final Four. We need to learn a lot from this series which has been very strange. We have had injuries, have not had Vassilopoulos and Keselj, Teodosic has not been in a good shape, and all of these played a role. We failed on goal, which has been to be in the Final Four, but we have to keep trying hard.
My players have won 55 titles and that shows tremendous experience. That’s what I had expected to show. For sure our goal had been to play in the Final Four, but we have to keep on going, we have to learn. We showed no reaction on the court. When Gordon got injured and we played defense with four players, shouldn’t we have made a foul, having only one? I take the most of the responsibility, but we have to start learning a lot from Saturday practice on.
We did not last throughout the first game, tonight it seemed we were going to be ready, but you can do nothing playing such poor defense.
Hairston has been a big problem for us, both in the second game and tonight. I cannot blame Teo (i.e. Papaloukas) or any other player. Papaloukas is our best defensive player. We were not a team. We failed our goad and the way we played, we did not deserve to win. I’m going to stay close to my players.
My players are going to listen to a lot from me, but you are not going to listen to anything on them from me.
SIMONE PIANIGIANI: The fact that we scored 50 points in the first half has been very important. We played very good defense and the three-pointers by Stonerook in the beginning helped us a lot. I think we played with our souls and after the heavy defeat in the first game, we played very well, improved in all areas and mainly technically wise. The Final Four is something exciting, nice. I’m really surprised there is only going to be one Spanish team.