One more win to qualification
In a “blazing” SEF, Olympiacos doubled their victories over Real Madrid (77-71) and now heads to Madrid aiming for the win that would send them to the Final Four!
Olympiacos started the game nervously, with Real taking control early on (2-7, 2'). Rushed decisions and poor shooting led to bad defensive transitions, with the Madrid team striking from the perimeter. Our team lacked clarity and was trailing the entire quarter (6-14, 6'). Sasha Vezenkov hit the first (and only) three-pointer for Olympiacos in the opening quarter, which ended 15-25. At the start of the second one, Nikola Milutinov and Alec Peters stepped up offensively (19-27, 13'), but the poor three-point shooting continued, and combined with some turnovers, Real extended their lead to 10 points again (24-34, 15'). With increased defensive intensity, our team kept Real from pulling away further, while a much-needed three-pointer by Shaquielle McKissic fired up the crowd. Another one followed from Evan Fournier (36-36), and an intelligent finish by Sasha Vezenkov gave Olympiacos their first lead just before halftime (38-38).
Without patience and proper ball movement, Olympiacos continued to struggle offensively. A three-pointer by Fournier and a dunk by Moustapha Fall tied the game (43-43, 22'), as the defense remained high-energy. A 6-0 run by Real was interrupted by Fournier (48-52, 27'), who led the offense, helping the team close the gap and eventually take the lead through Luca Vildoza at the end of the third quarter (57-54). Keeping Real scoreless for over five minutes in the final ten-minute stretch, our team built a 7-0 run and stretched the lead to 10 points (64-54, 35'), lifting SEF off its feet. Standout players included Sasha Vezenkov and Shaquielle McKissic; the Bulgarian forward brought energy on defense and stepped up offensively, while the American guard made two key plays on both ends of the court. Nigel Williams-Goss hit a three to extend the lead (67-56, 36'), but a sudden two-minute blackout allowed Real to go on an 8-0 run and turn the game into a thriller once again (67-65, 38').
But our team's response was immediate! A three-pointer by Alec Peters, two outstanding defensive plays by Williams-Goss and Milutinov, and another three from the American guard brought the lead back up to +9 (73-64) with just a minute left. Olympiacos stayed calm at the free-throw line and secured their second win over Real (77-71), defending their home court and now heading to Spain to fight for the win that will send them to the Final Four.
The quarters: 15-25, 38-38, 57-54, 77-71
