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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Ergin Ataman had this to say after the game...<br><br>One more, until <a href="https://twitter.com/AnadoluEfesSK?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@AnadoluEfesSK</a> go back-to-back 🏆 🏆 <a href="https://t.co/lwP3xjf5fu">pic.twitter.com/lwP3xjf5fu</a></p>&mdash; Turkish Airlines EuroLeague (@EuroLeague) <a href="https://twitter.com/EuroLeague/status/1527349850194399243?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 19, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="es" dir="ltr">Vasa! 🤝 <a href="https://t.co/cSef38KL2e">https://t.co/cSef38KL2e</a></p>&mdash; Bogdan Bogdanovic (@LeaderOfHorde) <a href="https://twitter.com/LeaderOfHorde/status/1527346932099665924?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 19, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Amazing game! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/F4GLORY?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#F4GLORY</a> Vasaaaaa 🤯🤯🤯🤯👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼 <a href="https://twitter.com/EuroLeague?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@EuroLeague</a></p>&mdash; Danilo Andjusic (@Djusa33) <a href="https://twitter.com/Djusa33/status/1527345876020056066?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 19, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Anadolu Efes Istanbul center

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Sheeeshhhhhh 😤 That&#39;s cold blooded Micic</p>&mdash; Jordan Loyd (@mrjloyd) <a href="https://twitter.com/mrjloyd/status/1527346061375062016?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 19, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">For the Game!! Big shot</p>&mdash; Isaiah Canaan (@SiP03) <a href="https://twitter.com/SiP03/status/1527346016353067008?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 19, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

### Micic wins it!

It came down to the final possession and Efes knew what it wanted to do. The champs gave the ball to the 2020-21 EuroLeague MVP and Vasa Micic did not disappoint them. He dribbled to wind the clock down while scanning the court and then pulled up for a three that fell through the rim with 0.2 seconds left to win. It at first appeared to be a buzzer-beater, but a clock review added 0.2 seconds for Olympiacos, but there was little the Reds could do and Sloukas’s prayer at the buzzer was not answered.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Vasilije Micic takes <a href="https://twitter.com/AnadoluEfesSK?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@AnadoluEfesSK</a> TO THE FINAL!!!<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/F4GLORY?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#F4GLORY</a> I <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/7DAYSMagicMoment?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#7DAYSMagicMoment</a> <a href="https://t.co/L96JNFocgV">pic.twitter.com/L96JNFocgV</a></p>&mdash; Turkish Airlines EuroLeague (@EuroLeague) <a href="https://twitter.com/EuroLeague/status/1527345736332955666?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 19, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

### Will missed free throws prove costly?

Micic and Larkin combined to make just 1 of 4 free throws as they looked to close out the game. Sloukas, after drawing Singleton’s 5th foul with 1:01 to play, made 2 to bring Olympiacos within 72-74. Then Hassan Martin tied it with a layup. We’re going to the wire!

### Dunston fouls out

Bryant Dunston was called for his 5th foul with exactly 5 minutes to play. He finished with 12 points on near-perfect shooting, 1 rebound and 1 block in 21 minutes. 

Singleton has 4 fouls and Micic and Elijah Bryant each have 3. The only Olympiacos player with more than 2 is Vezenkov (3).

### The pressure is mounting

After a layup by McKissic got Olympiacos within 1 at 69-70, both teams committed turnovers. Pleiss dropped a pass from Micic in the paint and Dorsey overthrew a pass in transition. Coach Bartzokas called timeout to settle the troops. With 6:21 to play, it’s anyone’s game in the EuroLeague Semifinals! Are you not entertained?!?!?!

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Big 4th coming up</p>&mdash; Mike James (@TheNatural_05) <a href="https://twitter.com/TheNatural_05/status/1527337858767282182?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 19, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="tr" dir="ltr"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/EuroLeague?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#EuroLeague</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FinalFour?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#FinalFour</a> Yarı Final <br>Olympiacos 63 - 66 Anadolu Efes | 3. Çeyrek Sonucu<br> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NewQuest?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NewQuest</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BenimYerimBuras%C4%B1?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BenimYerimBurası</a> <a href="https://t.co/xT2dpFAue9">pic.twitter.com/xT2dpFAue9</a></p>&mdash; Anadolu Efes SK (@AnadoluEfesSK) <a href="https://twitter.com/AnadoluEfesSK/status/1527337292041703425?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 19, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

### Vezenkov makes Reds roar

Despite trailing by double digits, Olympiacos was not about to fall apart. The Reds trimmed the deficit and when Vezenkov drained a triple – his first points of the night – to get within 56-62, the crowd was roaring again. He added a layup in the final minute of the quarter before Dorsey beat the third-quarter buzzer with a triple to make it 63-66.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Tyler Dorsey beats the third-quarter buzzer with a wild step-back three🤯<a href="https://twitter.com/olympiacosbc?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@olympiacosbc</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/F4GLORY?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#F4GLORY</a> I <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/7DAYSMagicMoment?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#7DAYSMagicMoment</a> <a href="https://t.co/lwVLZJx4pC">pic.twitter.com/lwVLZJx4pC</a></p>&mdash; Turkish Airlines EuroLeague (@EuroLeague) <a href="https://twitter.com/EuroLeague/status/1527338376151457810?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 19, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

### Bryant heats up as Efes pads lead

Back-to-back threes by Elijah Bryant gave Efes its biggest lead of the game so far, 48-57, and suddenly the pockets of Efes fans dotting Stark Arena could be heard screaming above their Olympiacos counterparts. A strong run of play by Bryant has Efes in control.

### Dorsey (finally) gets on the board for Olympiacos

Tyler Dorsey’s jumper in the second minute of the third quarter marked his first points of the game. Olympiacos’s top two scorers this season, Dorsey and All-EuroLeague forward Sasha Vezenkov, were held scoreless in the first half. The Reds survived thanks to 24 points off the bench, but they will try to get those stars going here in the second.  

### A different look for Efes

Efes opens the second half with a different look as Elijah Bryant, Chris Singleton and Bryant Dunston join starters Larkin and Micic on the floor. Olympiacos has the same 5 that started the game. A three by Bryant to start the second half scoring has Efes back on top.

Olympiacos Piraeus guard

“We have to be tougher and play smarter.”

Anadolu Efes Istanbul guard

“We've got to keep down the turnovers and pick up our defensive intensity.”

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Halftime, <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/OlympiacosBC?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#OlympiacosBC</a> – Anadolu Efes 43-42 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WeAreOlympiacos?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WeAreOlympiacos</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TogetherWeFight?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TogetherWeFight</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/EveryGameMatters?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#EveryGameMatters</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/OLYEFS?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#OLYEFS</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/F4GLORY?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#F4GLORY</a> <a href="https://t.co/TJsT3KPNRl">pic.twitter.com/TJsT3KPNRl</a></p>&mdash; Olympiacos B.C. (@olympiacosbc) <a href="https://twitter.com/olympiacosbc/status/1527329464539299843?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 19, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

### Larkin leads Efes back

Shane Larkin knows a thing or two about putting up crooked numbers at the Final Four and he could be on the verge of history here. Larkin scored 10 second-quarter points to keep Efes close. He also dished 6 assists, the last of which was a Vasa Micic triple to put Efes up 41-42, though McKissic came through again for Olympiacos to lead by 1 at the break.

Efes’s 8 first-half triples are tied for the most triples in first half of a Final Four since 2007-08. It also made 8 in the 2019 semifinals against Fenerbahce Istanbul. Larkin is the fourth player to make 4 threes in the first half of a Final Four game. With 1 more, he becomes the first player in coemption history to make 5 threes in a Final Four game twice.

### Reds' reserves get the job done

Olympiacos played much of the first few minutes of the second quarter with four reserves on the floor: Kostas Sloukas, Shaq McKissic, Hassan Martin and Georgios Printezis. Martin scored inside and McKissic drove for a layup that helped the Reds keep pace and when Thomas Walkup chased down a loose ball and fed Printezis for a slam, Olympiacos led 33-29 and Efes called timeout. The Martin-McKissic duo continued to shine with the former scoring twice to reach a game-high 9 points already and the latter netting free throws that made it 39-32 with 4 minutes left in the half.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">.<a href="https://twitter.com/olympiacosbc?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@olympiacosbc</a> showing some HUSTLE🔥 <br><br>Walkup steals the ball and lets Printezis have an easy finish! <br> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/F4GLORY?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#F4GLORY</a> I <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/7DAYSMagicMoment?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#7DAYSMagicMoment</a> <a href="https://t.co/WVEOOTawzi">pic.twitter.com/WVEOOTawzi</a></p>&mdash; Turkish Airlines EuroLeague (@EuroLeague) <a href="https://twitter.com/EuroLeague/status/1527326981531918337?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 19, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="fr" dir="ltr">1st Quarter Ends <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/OlympiacosBC?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#OlympiacosBC</a> – Anadolu Efes 21-18 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WeAreOlympiacos?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WeAreOlympiacos</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TogetherWeFight?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TogetherWeFight</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/EveryGameMatters?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#EveryGameMatters</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/OLYEFS?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#OLYEFS</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/F4GLORY?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#F4GLORY</a> <a href="https://t.co/kUcNX5FK2e">pic.twitter.com/kUcNX5FK2e</a></p>&mdash; Olympiacos B.C. (@olympiacosbc) <a href="https://twitter.com/olympiacosbc/status/1527323723295883264?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 19, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

### Dunston inspires Efes off the bench

Bryant Dunston was the game’s first substitution, coming in for Tibor Pleiss, and he made an instant impact. Even though he failed to slow down Fall, Dunston drew a foul from the Olympiacos starter and made a free throw, nailed a jumper to beat the shot clock and blocked a Papanikolaou shot in the paint to help force a shot-clock violation. With Dunston on the court, Efes outscored Olympiacos 5-13 to lead 14-18 before the Reds regained the lead after 10 minutes.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Dunston with the big block!⛔️<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/F4GLORY?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#F4GLORY</a> I <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/7DAYSMagicMoment?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#7DAYSMagicMoment</a> <a href="https://t.co/vrDoybvvz4">pic.twitter.com/vrDoybvvz4</a></p>&mdash; Turkish Airlines EuroLeague (@EuroLeague) <a href="https://twitter.com/EuroLeague/status/1527322842085220352?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 19, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

### Big men make early impact

Moustapha Fall scored the first basket of the game for the Reds and Tibor Pleiss’s hook shot put Efes up 4-5. Olympiacos scored a three on the next possession only after the ball went inside to Fall, he dunked on the ensuing possession, then drew a foul and splie free throws before assisting Kostas Papanikolaou on a layup to make it 12-5. After all the focus on the backcourt stars, the big men are making the big impact early.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Sasha Vezenkov feeds Moustapha Fall for a big slam in traffic!<a href="https://twitter.com/olympiacosbc?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@olympiacosbc</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/F4GLORY?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#F4GLORY</a> I <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/7DAYSMagicMoment?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#7DAYSMagicMoment</a> <a href="https://t.co/wKA5ohwmkR">pic.twitter.com/wKA5ohwmkR</a></p>&mdash; Turkish Airlines EuroLeague (@EuroLeague) <a href="https://twitter.com/EuroLeague/status/1527320549512294400?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 19, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="tr" dir="ltr">Olympiacos karşısında ilk 5️⃣:<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NewQuest?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NewQuest</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BenimYerimBuras%C4%B1?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BenimYerimBurası</a> <a href="https://t.co/WL0JUqvNUF">pic.twitter.com/WL0JUqvNUF</a></p>&mdash; Anadolu Efes SK (@AnadoluEfesSK) <a href="https://twitter.com/AnadoluEfesSK/status/1527318046762643456?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 19, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">The starting five! Let&#39;s do it!<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/OlympiacosBC?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#OlympiacosBC</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WeAreOlympiacos?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WeAreOlympiacos</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TogetherWeFight?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TogetherWeFight</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/EveryGameMatters?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#EveryGameMatters</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/OLYEFS?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#OLYEFS</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/F4GLORY?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#F4GLORY</a> <a href="https://t.co/I5EhdqyTxM">pic.twitter.com/I5EhdqyTxM</a></p>&mdash; Olympiacos B.C. (@olympiacosbc) <a href="https://twitter.com/olympiacosbc/status/1527318135677759494?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 19, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">🗣 Printezis : “We are better team, better players”!!!<br><br>Let’s do this!!! 💪🏽💪🏽💪🏽 <a href="<https://twitter.com/hashtag/OlympiacosBC?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#OlympiacosBC</a>> <a href="<https://twitter.com/hashtag/WeAreOlympiacos?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WeAreOlympiacos</a>> <a href="<https://twitter.com/hashtag/TogetherWeFight?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TogetherWeFight</a>> <a href="<https://t.co/FdjAowFZ9K">pic.twitter.com/FdjAowFZ9K</a></p>&mdash>; Olympiacos B.C. (@olympiacosbc) <a href="<https://twitter.com/olympiacosbc/status/1527313859597303810?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May> 19, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="<https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js>" charset="utf-8"></script>

### The teams have taken the court

After the earlier shootarounds, both teams came in for proper warmups just moments apart. It is now confirmed that Krunoslav Simon will not play tonight. He is not in uniform, nor is Dogus Balbay for the reigning champs.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">I FEEL DEVOTION <a href="https://twitter.com/EuroLeague?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@EuroLeague</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/F4GLORY?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#F4GLORY</a> <a href="https://t.co/lmVkEZChoC">pic.twitter.com/lmVkEZChoC</a></p>&mdash; Jaime Alonso (@JaimeAlonso_) <a href="https://twitter.com/JaimeAlonso_/status/1527308554104754176?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 19, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

### They teams are warming up!

More than an hour till tip-off of the first semifinal and Stark Arena is already abuzz. The Olympiacos takeover of the stands can be seen and heard with the pockets of red from all corners of the arena. And it’s only going to get louder as we approach game time!

Different players are taking different approaches as the warmup with Olympiacos’s Tyler Dorsey wearing headphones as he shoots to help block out all the noise and focus, while his teammates Moustapha Fall and Hassan Martin spent a few moments sitting by the side and taking in the atmosphere. The loudest noise was reserved for the boos when Efes star Shane Larkin came out. What a night it’s going to be!

Olympiacos Piraeus-Anadolu Efes Istanbul, Teaser

Follow all the latest news and updates news for Thursday's semifinals games here with the Game Blog!

Game Blog: Micic wins it in last second! Efes heads to championship game

Stark Arena pregame - Final Four Belgrade 2022 - EB21

Dogus Balbay - Anadolu Efes Istanbul arrival - Final Four Belgrade 2022 - EB21

Anadolu Efes Istanbul celebrates 3- Final Four Belgrade 2022 - E21-FFS

For 32-year-old Antoni and his six friends, basketball is a way of life. The basketball floor in Tarragona, a town just outside Barcelona, is also a place where Antoni hurt his knee while trying to make a last-second play this past weekend. 

"Talking to my friends, we realized that my injury will not stop us from going to the Final Four,” Antoni explains.

Antoni rolls around in a wheelchair through the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague FanZone, with one of his friends in charge of holding his crutches. They already had a little adventure because his wheelchair broke on the airplane, so they spent Thursday morning looking for new ones to rent in Belgrade. 

But they already proved nothing will stop them from enjoying the experience, because this is the Final Four.

"We watched the whole season, the series against Bayern, and we said, ‘We have to do it.’ Yes, basketball is definitely the way to live."

He says being a fan of all Barcelona sport teams has been little rough in the past few years, but hopes are up for this Final Four. 

"Last season we lost in the final. Hopefully, this is a chance to win this trophy.”

FC Barcelona fan Antoni Carreras hurt his knee on Saturday playing in an amateur basketball game. It did not stop him, or his friends, from coming to Belgrade for the Final Four this week.

Injury could not keep Barca fan from Belgrade

Antoni Carreras and his friends - Fans - Final Four Belgrade 2022 - EB21

Among a sea of Olympiacos fans in Belgrade, the father and son were loving every second of the Final Four in the lead-up to Friday’s semifinals.

"It is not just games, it is the whole event," Gerasimos said. "It is a long trip from Kefalonia, but every minute was worth it."

Father and son go to Olympiacos games as much as they can. For Gerasimos, it is his second Final Four experience.

"I was at the Final Four in 2010, in Paris. That did not finish good for us," Gerasimos laughs.

Olympiacos lost a championship game against FC Barcelona that season. He and his son, as well as the rest of Reds' fans, hope it will be a different story this time around.

"We have a strong team, we have a lot of fans here. I am very optimistic," says Gerasimos.

Gerasimos Vasilatos and his 10-year-old son Konstantinos traveled from the island of Kefalonia to experience the Final Four and support their beloved Olympiacos Piraeus.

Father and son Olympiacos fans love Final Four experience

Gerasimos and Konstantinos Vasilatos - Fans - Final Four Belgrade 2022 - EB21

Oscar is not a newcomer, as he has been to some other Final Fours before. But for this one, he convinced Mario, a friend of his, to join him. 

"Oscar comes every year. This year I decided to join in, because it looked to me like a fantastic experience that I had never experienced before, and I really wanted to do it this year,” Mario said. “Oscar has totally convinced me.”

Oscar says his passion for the game goes beyond fandom to encompass his devotion to basketball: "We are here because we love basketball. Because we love basketball, it is what moves us in life".


"We couldn't miss being here,” Oscar said. “If you like basketball, you have to come to the Final Four. This event caps the season at the highest level. It is the greatest European basketball event of the year, and the fact that it is celebrated in cities like Belgrade, where basketball is everywhere around, makes it impossible to miss for any true basketball fan.”
 makes it impossible to miss for any true basketball fan.”

Oscar and Mario are two friends that came to Belgrade not only to cheer for and support Real Madrid, but to live a unique experience in a unique city.

Real fans are clear: ‘Basketball is what moves us’

Real Madrid Fans - Final Four Belgrade 2022 - EB21

"We love basketball. I watch the EuroLeague every time I can, and I found the chance to come. We try to attend every Final Four we can. The last one we shared was Vitoria 2019, but we were here in Belgrade four years ago, too, so we are happy that we were able to come again," said Khoran, who lives in Bucharest.

He is not the only one of the group living outside Turkey. 

"We live in different places after all, so this is like a gathering for us," says Korhan. "We like the atmosphere, with the best teams of the Euroleague playing the tournament. This year's Final Four looks great, and also the weather is very good, which makes everything much better. We are happy to be here, and to have the opportunity of getting together in such a great place and event.”

Anadolu Efes Istanbul fans Korhan, Ozgur, Yavuz and Hakan have few occasions when they can be together as two of them live in Turkey, one in Romania and one in the United States. But the Final Four served as the perfect excuse for them to come together again.

Quartet of Efes friends reunite in Belgrade

Anadolu Efes Istanbul Fans - Final Four Belgrade 2022 - EB21

Watch on [Euroleague TV](https://www.euroleague.tv/) to hear the expert commentary of former EuroLeague champions Joe Arlauckas and Jiri Zidek as they call the games with Ronald McIntosh and Liam Canny.

Fans can get a second-screen experience, too, by [watching along with Anthony Goods of Swish Cultures on YouTube](https://youtu.be/llLFLGbxC4U) as he analyzes the action in real time with special guest and former EuroLeague player Michael Roll

What's more, after the success of last season's first Final Four VR broadcast, this year Turkish Airlines is enabling the technology from YBVR to bring fans to Stark Arena directly from their homes. To access the YBVR experience, fans need to purchase the Euroleague TV Final Four pass.

The action is not limited to the games at Stark Arena, however. The same high production standards are on display for the Euroleague Basketball Adidas Next Generation Tournament which may be followed [live on YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=merw9rDVw24).

**Armenia:** VIVARO

**Australia:** FOX SPORTS

**Balkans:** SPORTKLUB

**Baltic:** TV3 SPORT

**Belgium:** VOOsport World (BETV)

**Bulgaria:** MAX SPORT

**Brazil:** BANDSPORTS and DZAN

**China:** ESPN

**Czech Republic:** O2 TV SPORT

**Denmark: VIAPLAY**

**Eurasia:** SETANTA SPORTS

**France:** L'EQUIPE

**Georgia:** SILK SPORT 2 HD

**Germany:** MAGENTA SPORT

**Greece:** NOVASPORTS

**Iberoamerica:** DIRECT TV GO

**India:** DISCOVERY

**Internet:** [EUROLEAGUE.TV](http://EUROLEAGUE.TV)

**Israel:** SPORT 5

**In Flight:** SPORT 24

**Italy:** SKY SPORT and ELEVEN SPORTS

**Lithuania:** LRT and 3SPORT

**Mexico:** ESPN

**Philippines:** TAPSPORTS LIVE

**Poland:** POLSAT SPORT EXTRA

**Portugal:** SPORT TV

**Spain:** DAZN

**Taiwan:** ELEVEN SPORTS

**Thailand:** 3BBTV

**Turkey:** beIN SPORTS

**United Kingdom:** FREESPORTS

**Vietnam:** FPT

The Final Four will be the center of attention this weekend for a worldwide basketball audience who will be treated to a state-of-the-art broadcast production that includes 31 live cameras, five others dedicated to behind-the-scenes action, and three more equipped for virtual reality broadcasts.

The Final Four broadcast experience!

Dressing room Anadolu Efes Istanbul - Final Four Belgrade 2022 - EB21

The Final Four host city of Belgrade is filled with basketball lovers, and some were more than happy to share their opinions, predicting the outcome of Thursday's semifinals and the Final Four as a whole.

What the Serbs say: local Final Four predictions!

Dejan Tomasevic and Igor Rakocevic are Belgrade natives with storied EuroLeague careers. Tomasevic is a former champion and a two-time All-EuroLeague selection, who would have had more accolades if those awards were handed out in the earliest years of the century, including the 2000-01 season when he had the highest PIR in the league. Rakocevic is a three-time Alphonso Ford Top Scorer Trophy winner and played for two of the teams at this Final Four, Anadolu Efes Istanbul and Real Madrid. 

“In general, there is no favorite, especially since they are playing on a neutral court,” Tomasevic said of the Olympiacos Piraeus vs. Efes showdown. “Of course, Olympiacos will have an advantage with the fans because a lot of fans will come from Athens and people from Belgrade like Olympiacos. 

“In the other game, I like Nikola Mirotic. He is a really good friend of mine and is an unbelievably good guy. So my heart in this game will be with Barcelona. I believe that Barcelona will win \[the championship\] because they have the best player, Nikola Mirotic, and I hope he will be the MVP.” 

Dusko Savanovic was an All-EuroLeague choice in 2011 and played three seasons for Efes during his career. Retired since 2017, he runs the Akademija Vojvoda basketball academy here in Belgrade. 2017 champion and Crvena Zvezda mts Belgrade captain Nikola Kalinic knows these teams as well as anyone. In fact, he helped his team beat three of the Final Four teams this season. 

"I don't know what is going to happen. I mean, it's so unpredictable but there are things that you can count on,” Savanovic said. “Both teams are going to put their maximum and play 100% because it is the last game that counts in the EuroLeague. If you don't, you go home, you are done. That, for sure, is going to be extremely tough and fast, and in that type of basketball, it is going to be interesting… I am an Efes fan. I spent three years there. I feel it like my home club. If you talk about quality basketball, it's Efes. And if you look at Efes and Olympiacos, they began the season terribly, both teams. Efes struggled a lot and Olympiacos didn't play their beautiful game. Their games were not nice to watch but they were effective. They went on and advanced and advanced, like a machine. So that proves to you that the quality is there. I cannot predict what's going to be, but I am cheering for Efes.

Savanovic had an even tougher time choosing a winner in the other game, though he made it clear which player he would fear the most if he were still playing. 

“You have Mirotic on one side, who is already well-known as a world player. And you have Real Madrid, which has also dominating players. They have this giant Tavares - I was looking at him yesterday and maaan, good thing I didn’t play in his era! I don't know what would I do. I could cry next to him. The guy is like an Avatar, he is huge. So no matter which side on the court you choose, both teams have pluses and minuses, and it just depends on how they are going to use them… I would go with 50-50 if I can answer like that. I cannot predict, but I can see an interesting game, a typical Spanish game: a lot of points, a lot of running, so it is going to be extremely interesting to watch.”

Nikola Kalinic predictions!

According to the fans, four teams have equal shot to make it to the championship game and win the crown.

"I think Barcelona will beat Real Madrid and Olympiacos will get past Efes because they will have more fans here," 16-year old Luka Karaklajic said. "Then I think championship game will be a one-possession game, and Barca will take the title."

Luka, who practices basketball at the local club Cerak, does add: "I think Barcelona has the best roster, but I don't know how well they will play. It's the Final Four. Everyone can beat each other."

Luka's friend Uros Dimitrijevic, 17, mostly shares his opinion.

"It will be a hard-fought game, with Olympiacos having more fans, but I think Efes will pull it out. In the second semifinal game, I think Barca goes through against Real because it has beaten them many times already and it has the MVP, Nikola Mirotic. I think Mirotic will also be the Final Four MVP and Barcelona will win it all."

Sisters Ana (17) and Ivana Dimitrijevic (25) see it differently.

"I see Real and Efes going through," predicts Ana, who follows the EuroLeague throughout the season, with her sister nodding in approval. "Efes is the defending champion, and I simply think they are better than Olympiacos. But I think Real has the quality, with Coach Laso. And I think Walter Tavares will have a good tournament."

"I feel Efes has the most experience, and I just have a gut feeling about them. I don't think Olympiacos will stand a chance. Larkin and Micic will take care of them," 28-year-old Stefan Colovic says. "I will also support Real, even though I admit Barcelona has more quality on its roster. But I think Efes wins the title no matter what and Barcelona ends up in third place."

On the other hand, Milos Jovanovic, 36, admits that his opinion might be a little biased.

"I hope Serbia's own Vasa Micic will lead Efes over Olympiacos," Milos says. "I will also cheer for Real over Barcelona, but I also think it is realistic that Real beats Barcelona. And in the final, I think Real will lift the crown, I think it will be Real's 11th."

The Final Four host city of Belgrade is filled with basketball lovers and some were more than happy to share their opinions, predicting the outcome of Thursday's semifinals and the Final Four as a whole.

Luka Karaklajic - Fans - FanZone - Final Four Belgrade 2022 - EB21

Ana and Ivana Dimitrijevic - Fans - FanZone - Final Four Belgrade 2022 - EB21

Vasilije Micic - Best Scorer 2021-22 - Final Four Belgrade 2022 - EB21

To put a ball in a basket with five sizeable and athletic opponents doing everything to prevent that from happening in the middle of the high-speed chess match that is a Turkish Airlines EuroLeague basketball game is a hard job to begin with. To do all that when 18,000 leather-lung fans making all the noise they can, in unison, makes concentration even more difficult.

Final Four stars know the fans will be a factor

But if you listen to the players who will take the floor at the Final Four in Belgrade, they wouldn't have it any other way.

This is the first generation of players to know what a EuroLeague game with no fans is like, and to a man they are thrilled to be present at the return of those fans to the Final Four, not least because all that noise actually helps them play better. 

"It brings you energy. It's like a standard answer, but that's what it is. It's like you come into the game, you feel the fans, and the adrenaline in your whole body goes to the top, " Fabien Causeur of Real Madrid says. "It's just more fun. You can have them with you or against you, but they will give you extra motivation and the extra energy to give your best. And I feel that now is the kind of moment, in your season or in your career, that you 

No one in Belgrade has played in more Final Fours than Kostas Sloukas of Olympiacos Piraeus, a late-game specialist who knows that his team's fans, who bought the most tickets of any team in Belgrade, will be a true sixth man for the Reds.

"You come into the game, you feel the fans, and the adrenaline in your whole body goes to the top."

"Our fans always give us energy, give us a boost," Sloukas says. "The opposing fans try to boo you, to make your life more difficult. It's always better to play in a full arena, and it will be an amazing experience here in Belgrade."

Last season's Final Four MVP and a native Serbian, Vasilije Micic of Anadolu Efes, prides himself in remaining calm, cool and collected on the court, but he knows that the atmosphere at a EuroLeague in his country's capital is second to none in the world and likely to influence the outcome.

"The fans make everything more beautiful," Micic said on the eve of the semifinals. "These fans are passionate people. They try to express their emotions in the games. They don't have to act good. They can be a little bit wild. They can be emotional and show their real energy, and we definitely feel that on the court. I have many friends on my team who like that boost from the fans, and tomorrow, whether it's our fans or other fans, they will get more motivated by that atmosphere."

"Last year, you could hear a pin drop... For every player, it's 100 times better to have the fans in the stands."

Nick Calathes of FC Barcelona was among the Final Four participants last year in Cologne, Germany, when the fans could not be present due to pandemic restrictions. Though his club's fans will be in the minority this weekend at Stark Arena, he doesn't mind that one bit.

"The fans are what makes the game exciting, if you're home or away, just to hear chants and feel their presence," Calathes said. "Last year, you could hear a pin drop and you didn't have the feel of the crowd, the emotion. For us, I think for every player, it's 100 times better to have the fans in the stands. It's great, either home or away, and for me away is even better, because you like to hear the crowd against you and try to take advantage of it."

One Final Four without fans was one too many. As a worldwide audience will behold on this weekend, the one-of-a-kind energy that comes from EuroLeague fans is back in the room!

A special welcome session for the enthusiastic Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Final Four volunteers tipped off a busy week for One Team, Euroleague Basketball's social responsibility program, on Wednesday evening in Belgrade.

One Team Welcome Session for Final Four volunteers

The volunteers were officially welcomed to the Final Four with a One Team Welcome Session, a dynamic activity-filled event at the Ranko Zeravica Arena, which is also the home this week for the Euroleague Basketball Adidas Next Generation Tournament. 

This year, a total of 142 volunteers from 17 different countries have been chosen among a record number of 742 candidates that applied. All of them will ensure that everything runs smoothly during the Final Four activities taking place around the Serbian capital.

The volunteers official welcome took place on Wednesday with a fun session led by the One Team local Managers and Coaches, the Euroleague Basketball Ambassadors Dusko Savanovic and Joe Arlauckas, as well as special appearances by One Team Ambassadors from two local Euroleague Basketball clubs: Stefan Lazarevic of Crvena Zvezda mts and Aleksa Avramovic of Partizan NIS Belgrade.

"Joe and I had a lot of fun with groups of young and some not-so-young people. The majority of them are here for the first time with One Team, and it is beautiful," Savanovic said. "You can see on their faces they are enjoying this. It is maybe a unique opportunity for them to be in touch with professional athletes, and for us sharing our thoughts; it boosts us with energy. It brought me back to my beginnings when I was starting with basketball. It was beautiful."

Volunteers aged from 18 to 60 had a chance to take part in a fun series of activities promoting the importance of teamwork, while talking and sharing experiences with the ambassadors and players.

Just like the volunteers, the local players who spent this season competing in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague and the 7DAYS EuroCup, also had a wonderful time.

"It was really fun hanging out with them," Lazarevic said. "They were full of questions and it was great to share the moment with them, and to share my thoughts about basketball and the One Team organization. There is no bigger competition in Europe than the EuroLeague and I am honored to be part of the project."

Avramovic agreed: "EuroLeague is like one big puzzle and we are all the pieces, from the volunteers to the organizers, as well as the players and ambassadors, to share and show good emotions and good vibes and energy to the people. I will always be happy to be available for these kinds of events. I am very honored to be a One Team Ambassador."

This season One Team, celebrates its 10th anniversary. A celebration supported by all clubs and players from both competitions: Turkish Airlines EuroLeague and 7DAYS EuroCup

One Team, supported by Turkish Airlines as the One Team Founding Patron and with the collaboration of Special Olympics as Proud Partner, uses basketball to achieve real social impact in our communities. 

With an innovative model of interconnectedness across an entire continent, Euroleague Basketball and its clubs have developed a complete CSR program that brings together activities from each team in an integrated, impactful way, working under the theme of ‘community integration’ that actively addresses targets of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 10 on Reduced Inequalities.

Each participating club develops a specific One Team project tailored to its own community needs to benefit groups in danger of exclusion due to problems such as substance abuse and gender, physical or intellectual disability. Since its founding in 2012, the One Team program has reached already, directly and indirectly, more than 23,000 participants through its various team projects.