By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
ATHENS – Olympiacos advanced to the championship game after defeating Fenerbahce Beko at the Telekom Center Athens on Friday, in the opening semifinal of the 2026 EuroLeague Final Four Athens, presented by Etihad. The Reds secured their spot in the final on the back of a revitalized offensive effort and sustained defensive pressure. Following the triumph, head coach Giorgos Bartzokas talked about the tactical adjustments.
“We had a lack of creativity in the first half. Only five assists, which is our basic game. We moved the ball more, and we were more patient in the second half. We found a lot of opportunities to score from the box, and, of course, from outside. And the defense was really solid for 40 minutes, which is very important in this kind of game. There is a lot of intensity, a lot of tension. So, you have to be physical and play good defense. That’s what we did,” he explained regarding the team’s overall execution.
The Greek powerhouse adjusted efficiently after the break, eventually accumulating 16 assists by the end of the night. Whenever Fener threatened to erase the deficit and pull within striking distance, the Reds found critical answers to stifle the momentum.
The 60-year-old play-caller praised his squad’s resilience during those crucial stretches. “It was important that whenever they tried to come back in the game, close to a ten-point game, we responded immediately with good preparation, good shot selection, and going to the offensive rebound. I can’t complain about our performance,” he noted during his postgame interview.
With the final scheduled for Sunday, managing player fatigue was a central focus for the coaching staff. Olympiacos leaned heavily on its personnel rotation to sustain high intensity across both halves.
“We have a deep bench,” Bartzokas added. “We are talking about two games in 48 hours. So, we needed to keep the team fresh for the final.”
The luxury of a deep roster allowed the Reds to make difficult lineup decisions for the 12-player game squad, leaving out Moustapha Fall, Giannoulis Larentzakis, Monte Morris, Omiros Netzipoglou, and Frank Ntilikina. The only player unavailable due to health constraints was Keenan Evans.
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