By Cesare Milanti/ info@eurohoops.net
BERLIN— Olympiacos Piraeus and Fenerbahce Beko found the strength to fight for third place after losing in the 2024 EuroLeague Final Four semifinals. They gave a good show to the audience at Uber Arena before the championship game.
Olympiacos had the upper hand for most of the match and showed greater desire, but Sertaç Şanlı almost forced overtime, being a split second too late to tie the score at the buzzer. The Greek side won 87-84, taking third place in the German capital.
Alec Peters led the winning side with 20 points and six rebounds for a PIR of 21, playing especially well in the second half. Nigel Williams-Goss followed with 12 points and six assists, while Giannoulis Larentzakis and Nikola Milutinov added 10 points each. The Serbian center was two rebounds short of a double-double and had a bigger impact in the first 20 minutes.
For Fenerbahce, who found the strength and will to fight for the win in the final quarter, Dyshawn Pierre was the most consistent player throughout the match, scoring 19 points with five rebounds for a PIR of 23. Scottie Wilbekin scored 16 points with five assists, four rebounds, and steals for a game-high PIR of 24, while Sertaç Şanlı added 11 points.
Georgios Bartzokas’ side dominated for most of the first half, having 10 rebounds more than the opposition, and extended the lead to 56-43 early in the third period, and that’s when Fenerbahce started showing proper resistance.
The Istanbul side even managed to erase the deficit and turn the score around briefly in the final minutes of the third period (61-62), but Olympiacos responded and regained the 66-62 lead before the final 10 minutes.
It looked like the Piraeus side would walk through the finish line with ease, but Fenerbahce saved the best for last, and even had a chance to force overtime, but Sanli’s shot at the buzzer was a bit late, and Olympiacos emerged victorious.
“Bartzokas basketball”
After the game, Šarūnas Jasikevičius praised Olympiacos and their head coach, Georgios Bartzokas.
“I absolutely love how they move the ball, their patience. They are extremely, extremely selfless. I think that is Bartzokas basketball,” Jasikevicius said.
Greek coach spoke about establishing the culture at Olympiacos.
“I would like to establish a culture at Olympiacos that includes the unselfish way of thinking, the empathy between the players, togetherness that we need to have. Some things beyond the talent or big budgets,” Bartzokas said after winning third place at the 2024 Berlin Final Four.