A win in Glyfada and a 20/20 record
Olympiacos secured a difficult win in Glyfada, defeating Panionios 79–71 and recording their 20th victory in 20 games.
Sasha Vezenkov was once again the MVP for our team, scoring 24 points and grabbing 8 rebounds in his return. Giannoulis Larentzakis was also crucial in the final period, hitting three triples in the closing minutes and playing a decisive role in the outcome of the game.
Giorgos Bartzokas started the game with Walkup, Dorsey, Ward, Vezenkov, and Jones, and Tyler Dorsey scored the team’s first 5 points, initially giving Olympiacos the lead. Shortly afterward, Sasha Vezenkov, who had returned from a back injury, took over and made it 10–5 for Olympiacos.
After the initial 5', Monte Morris replaced Thomas Walkup, making his own return to action after dealing with a back issue. Vezenkov, with 8 points in about 6 minutes, showed he was ready to pick up where he left off, but Panionios, led by Tsalmpouris, reacted and cut the deficit to a single basket (15–17) 2' before the end of the quarter. The first quarter ended with Olympiacos leading by 8 (15–23) after a buzzer-beating dunk by Donta Hall.
In the second quarter, Olympiacos started sluggishly and the game was disrupted when a home fan insulted and made offensive gestures toward Evan Fournier, who responded, resulting in both being ejected. From that point on, the rhythm of the game was affected during the first half, but Olympiacos managed to maintain control, mainly thanks to Vezenkov, who had 14 points at halftime, giving the team a 4-point lead (35–39).
In the second half, both teams resumed the game in much the same way they had ended the first half. Five minutes into the second half, Olympiacos ran a 6–4 partial, with the team’s only field goal during that stretch coming from a 3-pointer by Walkup.
Both teams quickly reached five team fouls, and the game intensified during the third quarter. Giannoulis Larentzakis, with a long three-pointer and an excellent assist to Tyson Ward, managed to break down Panionios’ defense, making it 58–51 in favor of Olympiacos. Nevertheless, the home side reduced the gap to four (54–58) by the end of the quarter with a basket by Cruzer.
Just 2' into the fourth quarter, Panionios tied the game at 61–61, making it clear that the winner would be decided in the final minutes. The hosts then took the lead with a three-pointer by Thomason (64–63), with 6' on the clock, while Olympiacos made several poor offensive decisions during that stretch.
In the second half of the final quarter, Olympiacos focused mainly on attacking inside the paint, as their three-point shooting had been disappointing up to that point (20% with 5/25). Vezenkov and Jones were the main finishers of those plays. However, the most crucial shot came from Giannoulis Larentzakis, who extended the lead to four (68–72). Shortly after, he grabbed an important offensive rebound that led to a dunk by Jones. The game ended with Olympiacos winning by eight (71–79), with Larentzakis scoring his third three-pointer to seal the victory.
The quarters: 15–23, 35–39, 54–58, 71–79.
