By Dimitris Minaretzis/ info@eurohoops.net
Due to illness, Evan Fournier, Nikola Milutinov, and Tyson Ward sat out Olympiacos practices, leading to a clash with Partizan Mozzart Bet in the Peace and Friendship Stadium on Friday.
“Ward missed a practice due to illness, but he recovered. Fournier got sick yesterday. He is here now, but will not practice, and I hope he will be in the lineup. The same goes for Milutinov. He has a fever like the others. We have issues, but I am optimistic that we will overcome them and they will be cleared,” said Giorgos Bartzokas in Thursday’s media session before Round 9 of the 2025-26 EuroLeague Regular Season.
Bartzokas also shared an update on Keenan Evans projecting a likely first appearance of the 29-year-old combo guard with the Reds on Sunday, against Karditsa Iaponiki at SEF in Round 6 of Greece’s Stoiximan GBL Regular Season.
“I was very happy that Evans had two very good team practice sessions. He feels good,” said the 60-year-old Greek tactician. “I want to be careful. Not to be dismissive, but because it’s a very special case after such an absence. I believe he is in the final stage of recovery, and I think he will make his debut in Sunday’s game.”
In contrast, Moustapha Fall remains sidelined, expected to sit out the entire season after suffering a ruptured patellar tendon in his left knee late in the 2024-25 campaign.
At 5-3, Olympiacos is tied with three more teams in fourth place of the EuroLeague standings, 1.5 games away from leader Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet. Domestically, a 5-0 start leads the Greek League.