A good start in the Euroleague as well
Olympiacos bested Unicaja 69-61 and began the official games of the new season’s Euroleague with a victory. Petway, Sloukas and Lojeski were the best players for the reds.
The game did not start well for our team. Malaga managed to take a 14-6 lead following an 8-0 streak, but Olympiacos answered to the many threes of the Spaniards with Vassilis Spanoulis and with a partial 10-4 turned the 17-8 to a 22-18 at the end of the first quarter.
The guests took a 12 point head lead at 22’ (38-26), but it was Sloukas and Printezis that helped Olympiacos to run a 9-0 streak and close in 38-35 at 26’. The lack of focus in defense and defensive rebounds cost the reds, a fact exploited by Unicaja to once again gain a 10 points lead (45-35). Lojeski and Petway took over at the moment and with continuous threes helped the team come close to one point (45-44) at the end of the third quarter with yet one more 9-0 streak.
The team defense went on being excellent, Petway offered a show as well apart from substance and it was thus Olympiacos took a five points lead (51-46), seven minutes before the end of the game with the Bartzokas’ players running a partial 16-1. The Back2Back European Champions playing excellent defense managed to lead even by eleven since through defense the reds were getting many easy points in the fast-break.
Our team managed the lead obtained in the last three minutes of the game and sealed a 69-61 victory for the Euroleague premiere.
Τhe quarters: 18-22, 26-33, 44-45, 69-61
Οlympiacos (Bartzokas): Petway 13 (3/4 3p, 4reb, 2bl), Law, Dunston 3 (7reb), Spanoulis 13 (1 3p, 5as), Perperoglou 4, Sloukas 8 (2 3p, 6as), Simmons 4 (8reb, 2bl), Printezis 9 (1 3p, 5reb), Mantzaris 3 (1), Lojeski 12 (3 3p, 4 reb).
Unicaja (Plaza): Conde, Sabonis 2, Vidal 2, Calloway 3 (1), Souarez 8, Granger 4, Vazquez 12 (10reb), Kuzminskas, Dragic 12 (3), Hettsheimeir 8 (2), Caner-Medley 9 (2), Stimac 1.
GIORGOS BARTZOKAS: “The game was exactly as expected. We were prepared to win. Premieres always hide surprises, it’s not a cliché. We had to react to defense of Malaga and the anxiety of some of our players. We changed our image in the second half and especially in defense. Unfortunately, Begic was not with us and that cost us. Our tall players had foul trouble early into the game and we couldn’t find rhythm. Our forwards helped us a lot with rebounding, both Printezis and Petway. When we got our defensive game improved as well as rebounding, we got an important victory. It was important for many reasons, a premiere game, our players getting acquainted with our fans and the competition, but also because each Euroleague win is important. Unicaja is a classic Spanish team that has rhythm in the beginning of the game, but we managed to best them. I wish them all well. I explained my players that the team fans want to see players that fight and “die” for the team. Petway is very well grounded, he absorbs any information necessary. Begic has been having lower back problems, suffers a muscle spasm since returning from Brazil. We’ll see how it goes day by day and we’ll decide when he joins the team again”.
BRENT PETWAY: “The key to our victory has been our defense. It is clear that it was defense that gave us the victory. We played exactly the way we wanted to in the second half. We got rebounds, ran the fast-breaks and won. It’s still early, the team is not ready yet, but it’s good when we win. I have a very good first impression from the Euroleague competition”.
JUAN PLAZA: “Olympiacos is an excellent team, they are the Champions of Europe, and it’s not easy to win the European champions in their home court. We tried for the best possible outcome but it hasn’t been easy. We made many mistakes that cost us in the second half and that’s why lost. I wish Olympiacos all the best”.