An emphatic win

Olympiacos returned to winning in the EuroLeague, cruising past Virtus Bologna 109–77 at the Peace and Friendship Stadium (SEF) to record their 17th win in the competition.

 

EuroLeague's January MVP Sasha Vezenkov was once again the standout performer, delivering another dominant display with 20 points, 8 rebounds, and 3 assists in fewer than 23 minutes. Olympiacos also had double-digit scorers in Dorsey, Fournier, Jones, and McKissic, while the 109 points scored marked a tie for the 4th-highest scoring performance in the club’s EuroLeague history under head coach Giorgos Bartzokas.

Before tip-off, team captain Kostas Papanikolaou honored Luca Vildoza for his contribution to the club. Shortly after Olympiacos’ team presentation, club presidents Panagiotis and Giorgos Angelopoulos, along with the entire organization, laid flowers in memory of the victims of Gate 7, as Sunday (8/2) marks 45 years since the tragedy.

Giorgos Bartzokas started the game with Walkup, Dorsey, Ward, Vezenkov, and Milutinov, with the team’s point-guard scoring Olympiacos’ first points with a three. The Italian side made a better overall start in the game, hitting 3 triples in the opening quarter. However, Vezenkov quickly confirmed his excellent form, scoring 10 points and giving Olympiacos a 24–23 lead at the end of the quarter. Tyson Ward also played a key role in the comeback, recording a well-rounded performance early on (5 points, 2 assists, 2 rebounds in 10 minutes).

At the start of the second quarter, Vezenkov caught fire, reaching 15 points without missing a shot before heading to the bench and making way for Alec Peters. That was only the beginning. Olympiacos played outstanding basketball during that period, with every player who stepped onto the court contributing. Cory Joseph hit 2/2 threes upon entering the game, Evan Fournier matched him, while Jones and Hall finished efficiently around the basket.

Bartzokas’ team went on a 13–0 run, turning a 36–28 scoreline into 49–28 and laying the foundations for victory. Olympiacos dominated the second quarter 37–14, taking a commanding 61–34 lead into halftime.

The third quarter belonged to Tyler Dorsey. The Greek-American guard scored 12 points in that time, while Olympiacos continued to move the ball brilliantly. By the end of the quarter, the assist-to-turnover ratio stood at 23–9, and Nikola Milutinov, scoreless in the first half, made good on his team mates assists. Olympiacos was excellent throughout the period, reaching 89 points before the start of the fourth quarter (89–50).

The final stretch was largely procedural, with Olympiacos lowering the tempo but still surpassing the 100-point mark with 3' remaining. Bartzokas was able to distribute playing time, and Shaquielle McKissic also found his rhythm to reach double figures. The game ended with a 32-point margin, as Olympiacos' fans gave a standing ovation to the team and to Daniel Hackett.

 

The quarters: 24–23, 61–34, 89–50, 109–77.