By Eurohoops team / info@eurohoops.net
The first participant of the Final Four, set to be played at OAKA Arena from May 21 to 23, has been confirmed.
After winning on the road against Monaco 105-82, Olympiacos Piraeus completed a 3-0 sweep in the Playoff series and advanced to the final tournament in Athens.
Georgios Bartzokas’ side, the EuroLeague regular-season leaders, justified their favorite status against a depleted French team and, with three convincing wins, booked their place in the Final Four.
Olympiacos left no room for doubt in Game 3, controlling the tempo from start to finish and closing out the series in convincing fashion. Monaco briefly threatened early in the fourth quarter with a small run that cut the deficit in half, but the Greek side quickly restored order and pulled away again to seal a comfortable win.
Evan Fournier led the way with 22 points, while Alec Peters followed with 18 points and six rebounds. Thomas Walkup added 14 points and five assists, with Sasha Vezenkov and Shaquielle McKissic contributing 10 points apiece.
For Monaco, simply reaching the Playoffs marked a respectable achievement considering everything the club endured this season. Financial instability and roster limitations significantly affected their campaign, and those issues were evident once again in this elimination game.
Facing a must-win situation, the French side had just eight players available, limiting their ability to match Olympiacos’ depth and intensity. Despite the circumstances, they competed until the end, but ultimately fell short against a superior opponent.
Matthew Strazel finished as Monaco’s top scorer with 21 points, while Jaron Blossomgame added 19. Mike James recorded 16 points along with six rebounds and six assists, and Kevarrius Hayes chipped in with 11.