Still victorious…
Olympiacos bested Koroivos Amaliadas 79-73 with Vassilis Spanoulis being its top scorer with 21 points.
Our team was shooting especially well in the beginning of the game thus succeeded in leading 27-21 at the end of the first quarter. In the second quarter, the guests cut into the margin and half time was 43-40.
Petway was doing a great job on both ends of the floor, Spanoulis was passing assists whenever he was not scoring and the 'reds' built a six point lead into the third quarter, but Koroivos still managed to close in and all the more tie the game at the end of the third quarter (57-57).
The two teams were going point by point into the last quarter, but Olympiacos stepped on the gas during the last five minutes. Spanoulis and Mantzaris took over, Sloukas continued the great job he was doing in the first half and hence the 'reds' got the 79-73 victory.
The quarters: 27-21, 43-40, 57-57, 79-73
Olympiacos (Sfairopoulos): Petway 9 (2 3p, 12reb, 2bl), Dunston 6 (5reb), Spanoulis 21 (2 3p., 6as), Sloukas 11, Lafayette 8 (2), Hunter 6, Agravanis, Mantzaris 9 (1), Darden 7 (1), Christodoulou 2.
Koroivos Amaliadas (Markopoulos): Maggete 8 (9reb), Giannakidis 6 (2), Angelopoulos 10 (2), Papapetrou, Davis 22 (4), Vasiljevic 6 (2), Kanonidis 9 (1), Filippakos, Rubio 10, Galiotos 2.
GIANNIS SFAIROPOULOS: "It's an important victory the way the game evolved. Koroivos fought hard, stayed in the game to the end. I would like to congratulate coach Markopoulos and his team for their performance. Of course we are not happy at all with how we played, but only with the victory. I never look for excuses. But everyone should understand that players are people and not machines. We played a Euroleague game Friday night and it ended around midnight. The players went to sleep at 3 or 4 in the morning due to hypertension and came back to play today at noon. This is the main reason we were so beat up today. It's a matter of energy. Energy wise and physically wise, we just weren't ready. You need at least two days between games to charge your batteries. We did not have that opportunity due to the schedule. It's a matter of focus and energy. I tried to change the game, but TV was adamant, they would not change the schedule. I've never witnessed that in my life, to play Friday night and then Sunday noon".
VANGELIS MANTZARIS: "We played bad in defense. We cannot be receiving 40 points at half-time and about 75 at the end. We just keep the victory and nothing else. We were playing Friday night and today at 12.00 noon. We are tired, but this is not an excuse. We have the best roster and one of the best in Europe. We have to be focused in the next game as well because a lot depend on it".
BRENT PETWAY: "The first thing was fatigue. I wanted to dunk to secure victory, but I got the rebound and somehow managed to correct my mistake. We have a tough game ahead of us and I think we'll make it. We weren't good with free throws today, I expected an easier victory. I hope things will improve".