By Eurohoops team/info@eurohoops.net
Yiannis Bourousis was unstoppable (28 points, 12 rebounds, 44 in the ranking system) and helped Laboral Kutxa to beat Olympiacos in overtime (96-89). This was the first victory for the Spanish team in Group B, while the Reds suffered their first defeat.
Vangelis Mantzaris and Matt Lotzeski helped Olympiacos tie the game (80-80), which went to overtime, as Mike James’ three-point shot at the buzzer was out of time. In overtime, Laboral took a six-point advantage (90-84), Bourousis was perfect from the free-throw line and secured the victory for his team, as Olympiacos‘ players missed crucial shots.
For the winners, apart from the Greek center, Adam Hunga had 17 points, while for the Reds Lojeski made an extraordinary performance with a career-high 28 points on 6/7 from the three-point range, seven rebounds and 32 in the ranking system, as three more players were in double digits.
In the beginning, the match was close, as no team could take a significant advantage and the first quarter ended with Laboral Kutxa in front by three (21-18). In the second quarter, the Spaniards took control of the game. They retained a five to nine point lead (26-18, 33-27, 42-35) and ended the first half with a nine-point advantage (48-39), as Bourousis (13 points in the half) scored a three-point shot at the buzzer.
In the third quarter, Laboral extended the lead to double digits (57-44, 61-49), as Olympiacos was mediocre both offensively and defensively. In the last three minutes of the quarter, though, the Greeks enhanced their performance and cut the deficit to six points, after 30 minutes in the game (67-61).
In the final quarter, Olympiacos made an 8-0 run and took the lead (71-72). A 6-0 run let the Spaniards take a five-point lead (77-72), but the Reds came back again. Back-to-back threes from Mantzaris and Lotzeski helped Olympiacos tie the game (80-80) and the match went to overtime, as Mike James’ three-point shot was out of time. But, Kutxa stood tall in overtime and secured an important victory.