One step before the trophy!
Olympiacos edged Pineiros 81-70 for the first Intercontinental Cup Final and is now 40 minutes away from the trophy. The re-match is on Sunday, October 06, 2013 at 17:30 (Greek time).
Our team began the game well on both ends of the floor. It was thus the Back2Back European Champion led 11-4 with Perperoglou, Dunston and Printezis leading the team in offense. However, the Brazilians managed to react and the first quarter closed 15-11 in favor of the team of Giorgos Bartzokas.
During the first five minutes of the second quarter Olympiacos lost focus in defense. The Piraeus team was leading 22-16, but the following a partial 10-0 streak, the team of Claudio Mortari led for the first time in the game 26-22, four minutes before the end of the first quarter.
In the beginning of the third quarter, Olympiacos with Vassilis Spanoulis taking action succeeded in widening the difference to eight points (44-36), six minutes before the end of the third quarter. Perperoglou and Spanoulis were unstoppable at the time and the Back2Back Champions of Europe reached a nine points difference for the first time in the game (56-47) at 28’ with the quarter ending 56-51 in favor of the reds. The margin was up to +9 for Olympiacos (62-53) at the beginning of the last quarter following a basket by Matt Lojeski.
The difference was for the first time +10 for Olympiacos following a three by Vangelis Mantzaris (71-61) at 36’. Spanoulis kept on scoring from every angle and that’s how Olympiacos reached the final 81-70 victory.
The quarters: 11-15, 30-32, 51-56, 70-81
Pineiros (Mortari): Boracini 10, Souza 2, Stallworth 26 (4), Toyloy, Tavernari 12 (4), Dos Santos, Smith 19 (1), Ferreira.
Οlympiacos (Bartzokas): Dunston 11 (12reb), Spanoulis 18 (3 3p., 9as.), Perperoglou 15 (6/6 2p, 1/1 3p.), Printezis 5 (4reb), Mantzaris 12 (2 3p., 4as), Petway 7 (9reb), Sloukas, Simmons 2, Begic 4, Katsivelis, Lojeski 10 (1 3p., 3 reb).
GIORGOS BARTZOKAS: We were expecting a different and difficult game for the reasons explained by Stratos. Time difference and the trip played a part, as well as the lack of information we have had on Pineiros, but also the particular way their offense works. So it took us some time to adjust to the game. Finally, if you see the numbers that tonight actually tell the truth, we were better at rebounding, about 20 more, and we also had 10 more assists. But the fact that we made 20 mistakes is something we need to take into consideration. It is both expected and not. Expected since we haven’t spent time together as a team and each one has to get accustomed to the way everyone else is playing, but the opponent and the way they defend is also a factor. Each passing day experience makes us better. We now have to have a good practice tomorrow and play a good game on Sunday so as to finish what we came here to do. It’s been a great joy to have seen so many fans in the tribunes supporting us. On behalf of the team we need to thank them. Pineiros is a team that choses to attack facing the basket, they rely a lot on their perimeter players that threaten the basket by shooting and they also have two play-makers that control the game very well. Not having big players that can finish plays close to the basket was certainly good for us, since as you can see, we had great percentages close to the basket. I’m always looking for team work, they are team very well prepared, that seems to have worked a lot on its game and rhythm. Not having information on Pineiros was very significant in our game. We tried really hard to get feedback, without much success. From that point on, we need to find advantage in what the opponent gives us. So, since they let us attack the basket, that’s what we had to strike and that’s what we did.
STRATOS PERPEROGLOU: Tonight we were kind of un-prepared since it hadn’t been easy to gather Intel on Pineiros, but we saw they are a really good team. We played our game, got the victory and we now need one more victory to get the trophy. Too many threes is a difference, it’s hard to contain such a way of playing should a team find rhythm. Pineiros is a team that plays quite hard.