A victory with the captain against Koroivos
With Vasilis Spanoulis making an impressive come back, Olympiacos beat Koroivos at the SEF 97-76. This was the last game our team had to play without fans for the STOIXIMAN.GR Basket League.
Giorgos Printezis, Nikola Milutinov and Vangelis Mantzaris did not play, while Dimitris Agravanis returned to action.
With Brian Roberts leading the offense, Olympiacos 'built" a difference of 8p. at the beginning (12-4), without being able to maintain it though. The team paid for its defensive gaps and Posley's good shooting percentages from the perimeter and watched Koroivos getting ahead 19-16. With Vasilis Spanoulis creating and Jamel McLean scoring, the 'reds' regained the lead and were up by 7 (30-23 at 13'). The guests answered with a partial 11-5 streak and had a one point game (35-34), however, Hollis Thompson stepped up and took the margin up to 9p. (45-36). Finally, a three by Spyridonidis at the end of the first half had the team from Amaliada closing in at 6 (45-39).
In the second half, Olympiacos showed to be eager to wrap up the victory the soonest possible and did so eventually… Superb defense, good offensive choices and with Vasilis Spanoulis, Janis Strelnieks and Kostas Papanikolaou leading, sent the difference to +21 (79-58 at 30'). The fourth quarter was merely procedural.. Olympiacos maintained the lead with good defense and correct choices in the offense and got his sixth victory in a total of seven games.
The quarters: 21-21, 45-36, 79-58, 97-76
Οlympiacos (Sfairopoulos): ΜcLean 8(2as.), Τoliopoulos 4(1), Papapetrou 8(6reb.), Spanoulis 13(3 3p., 5 as.), Αgravanis 5(1), Strelnieks 19(4 3p., 7 as.), Papanikolaou 8(1 3p., 3 as.), Αrsenopoulos, Roberts 11(2 3p., 5 as.), Bogris 1(4ριμπ.), Wiltjer 3, Τhompson 16(2).
Κoroivos (Kalambakos): Carson 6, Skoulidas, Hines 8, Dickerson 2, DeCosey 18(1), Posley 19 (3), Miledijevic, Αntonakis 4, Sachpatzidis 7, Spryridonidis 12 (2), Berkris, Rountree.
«The return of our leader is an important moment»
Olympiacos' coach, Giannis Sfairopoulos, said the key to the comfortable victory was defense: "We played a good game. Apart from some small periods in the game, it went as we planned. In the first half, although we made a good beginning, our defense got loose at the end of the first quarter, we allowed the opponent to score too many easy points. We had a small margin at the end of the first half, however, with good defense in the second half and more aggressive game in the offense, we got to widen the difference and we maintained it to the end. In general, we played much better in the second half than in the first one and we won a very competitive team rather comfortably. Koroivos has been making a very good effort. They are a very athletic team. They have 3-4 players that are good scorers and creators and a good roster around them. I wish them all the best".
He then talked about the absences of Giorgos Pritnezis, Vangelis Mantzaris and Nikola Milutinov: "It was important that we were able to rest some players. It was also important that we got to give minutes to everyone and I want to stress for one more time that all players should be ready to play whenever they are asked to. That's why both I and the team rely on all our players. They need to be focused, do their job properly and be ready to play whenever they are asked to".
Closing, he could not but talk about the come back of Vasilis Spanoulis to action: "It's an important moment for our team, because Vasilis is our leader. He's the player the team needs to be complete and able to go one step up. We have a good roster and we have our leader back and we expect the rest of the injured players to gradually return, so as to see on the floor the team we had planned for in the summer. Up to today, we haven't even been able to practice all together".
Janis Strelnies said about Spanoulis' come back: "Finally, just like you said. It's very nice to have him with us. He proved to be in a very good shape. He has worked hard while he was out and this showed on the floor". On what comes next: "It's still the beginning. We have a lot of work ahead of us and a very tough month we hope goes just fine".