A comfortable 1-0
Olympiacos started off the play-offs of the 2015-16 season with a victory, is already 1-0 in the quarter finals series against Rethymno for the Basket League SKRATS and is now heading to Crete aiming to 2-0.
THE DEFENSE: Just like during the recent game between the two teams for the regular season, Thrylos imposed their game from the beginning. There were no problems with the best defensive part being the second half.
THE OFFENSE: 100 points were a fact for yet once again in the season. Despite the fact that Printezis and Spanoulis were not playing, the Greek Champions had not problems and scored 102 points with four players scoring two digits.
THE MVP: Matt Lojeski. The Thrylos’ American forward was exquisite, finishing the game with 21 points, 1 rebound, 1 steal, six assists and 1 block in 19 minutes.
KEEPS, FORGETS: Keeps the multifaceted offence and the fact that for yet another time, although Spanoulis and Printezis did not play, this had no effect on the team’s performance. Forgets the fact bad defense of the second quarter, when they received 21 points.
THE POINTS
The quarters: 22-15, 45-36, 76-52, 102-71.
Οlympiacos (Sfairopoulos): Hunter 9 (7 reb.), Papapetrou 5, Strawberry 15, Milutinov 2, Mouratos, Agravanis 3, Mantzaris 3, Warrick 10 (6 reb.), Hackett 7, Lojeski 21 (6 assist), Papanikolaou 21 (7 reb.), Αthinaiou 6.
Rethymno (Skourtopoulos): Delinikaitis 10, Schizas 8, Madden 6, Schaftenaar 3, Giannopoulos 8, Tsakaleris 1, Harrow 5 (6 assist), Stone 19 (10 reb.), Carter 6 (7 reb.), Panaretakis, Doulgerakis 2, Theodoridis 3.
THE QUOTES
GIANNIS SFAIROPOULOS: «Having played a week ago in Rethymno, we knew they would want to react. This happened in the first half, especially with the addition of Harrow and Giannopoulos, who did not play the last game. Our defense was not as effective at some points, they tied the game, but the little streak we run at the end of the first half showed us how we should be playing in the second one. In the second half, we had more energy and were more decisive, we ran, scored baskets at the fast break, scored from a long range despite the opponent’s zone defense and made one of our best halves. The difference is of no importance, but rather that we made 1-0 and now we need to prepare for the game at Rethymno. Our opponent has been transforming their game and we will need to play from the start and for a whole 40 minutes the same way we played for the second half tonight. Spanoulis and Printezis are recovering for small injuries. We’ll see day by day. Maybe one of them will be starting with a personal program, because they are not ready. We’ll see if they are ready for Sunday. We cannot know for sure, we see how it goes day by day. We had really missed Lojeski, as obvious. He’s a player that is keen on scoring, he knows the team very well and today his performance shows how much the team missed him in the two months’ time he was gone”
HAKIM WARRICK: «We did a better job in the second half. We were more aggressive in our defense and that’s what changed the whole game».