An easy evening at home
Olympiacos had not difficulties whatsoever against Doxa Lefkadas, besting them 84-60 for the 16th day of the STOIXIMAN.GR Basket League and continues being alone at the top of the ranking. Matt Lojeski was the top scorer with 17 points.
Olympiacos played without Spanoulis, Young, Papapetrou, Toliopoulos, Maragkos and Hackett, once again had a 10 players’ roster, but had an easy time against the combative Doxa Lefkadas of Charis Markopoulos.
In the first quarter our team played without real concentration and the players under Giannis Sfairopoulos were especially off target. As a result, Doxa Lefkadas took an early lead which was maintained till the end of the quarter (14-150. In the second one, however, the outlook was largely different. The Greek champions improved their defense, moved the ball correctly in the offense, maintained turnovers and with a partial 23-14, Olympiaocs went to the locker rooms for the half time break leading by eight (37-29).
Just like the two first quarters, the beginning was not good for the ‘reds’ in the third one also. Shooting was poor, defense was lacking focus and all of that resulted in Lefkada closing in even at six points. However, Olympiacos improved on their defense, Lojeski and Waters were scoring consecutively and the difference was up to 15 points (60-45) by the end of the third quarter.
In the last one, the ‘reds’ improved their performance even more, took the margin above 20 points, never allowed the hosts any hope and easily reached the final 84-60.
THE POINTS
The quarters: 14-15, 37-29, 60-45, 84-60
Οlympiacos (Sfairopoulos): Green 2, Milutinov 12 (11reb), Printezis 4, Papanikolaou 11, Μantzaris, Birch 5, Waters 15 (1 3p), Αgravanis 8 (11reb), Lojeski 17 (7reb), Αthinaiou 10 (2 3p).
Doxa Lefkadas (Markopoulos): Scott 6, Abbott 11 (1), Doblas 8, Robinson 9 (1), Charis 12, Petalotis 3, Demertzis, Georgakis 2, Psathas 9, Tsaldaris.
THE QUOTES
GIANNIS SFAIROPOULOS: “Tonight’s victory is dedicated to the victims of gate 7. Always, on games like these, we have an additional reason to win, to dedicate our victories to these kids that lost their lives for Olympiacos. On behalf of everyone on the team, our players, I and the staff and everyone on the team, we dedicate the victory to the victims of gate 7. In regard to the game, it was one that we made a bad start with, we were lacking energy on both ends of the floor, with many mistakes, without focus and as the time was passing by we were getting better. We won the second quarter with a 9 point margin and we were gradually upping our performance, we were playing better in defense, run the open court, scored 47 points, received 31 in the second half and had no problems prevailing. I wish Doxa and to coach Markopoulos to achieve their goals. Yes, Milutinov is a very useful player, he had shown what he was capable of from last season, he was younger and more inexperienced, he was 20 going to 21 when he came to play in a foreign country. Now he plays better, he feels more secure in his play and for me, he’s our corner stone on both ends of the floor for our team. He gives us a lot on both ends. He needs to work more because he has room to improve. Despite I don’t want to talk about any one of our players, I had to answer to your question, since he really is among our most improved players”.
DOMINIC WATERS: “First of all, I would like to dedicate this victory to the Olympiacos’ fans that lost their lives in 1981 during this terrible tragedy. It wasn’t an easy game for us, they fought, they did not allow us play our game, but we improved our defense in the end, play the way we should be playing and got the victory”.