The pressure was on as Valencia Basket hosted Olympiacos Piraeus in a meeting of direct rivals at La Fonteta on Thursday night.
Defensive domination delivered key win for Olympiacos
Article
3 Mins read
Regular Season
Round 26 of 34
Group Regular Season
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With two defensively strong teams going toe to toe in a key matchup, it was no surprise that the resulting tussle wasn’t particularly pretty. In fact, at times, it was downright ugly if you’re looking for fast and free-flowing offensive basketball.
But for Olympiacos, the outcome was nothing short of beautiful as a stellar second-half defensive effort earned a 65-78 road win that not only provided a two-game margin over Valencia, but also secured the head-to-head advantage between the teams.
Coach Georgios Bartzokas had no doubt about the main reason for the victory, saying: “Our defense in the third quarter was really solid. They only scored 9 points and this was the key of the game.
“We expected Valencia to respond and adjust, and they did, but our defense was solid and especially versus [Chris] Jones, who we kept to 2 points. We believed before the game that he was the key player.”
Game Videos
- 01:23
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Kostas Papanikolaou: 'We want to go all the way'
- 01:18
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Evan Fournier: 'We're getting closer to our goal'
![https://media-cdn.cortextech.io/0107f761-08f1-4658-838b-5db9dd64bb37.jpg]()
Real Madrid-Olympiacos Piraeus | Playoffs Game 4 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
- 00:29
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Vezenkov hits a crucial three! Motorola Magic Moment of the Night
- 00:16
![https://media-cdn.cortextech.io/7bba8651-fe4d-4b4d-a531-2f1415dda978.jpg?crop=1178%3A663%3Anowe%3A79%3A40]()
Hezonja dunks off the baseline! Motorola Magic Moment
- 00:21
![https://media-cdn.cortextech.io/b6439d8e-2a59-44aa-93e6-8213eac37803.jpg?crop=1150%3A646%3Anowe%3A48%3A112]()
Peters’s dunk on the break! Motorola Magic Moment
- 00:05
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/63a7677d-788f-437c-9955-a802c20e27cf.jpg?crop=1080%3A608%3Anowe%3A155%3A57]()
Fall monster dunk! Motorola Magic Moment
![https://media-cdn.cortextech.io/6c0ed04a-20cd-4422-a45b-fea872646363.jpg]()
Real Madrid-Olympiacos Piraeus | Playoffs Game 3 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
- 00:23
![https://media-cdn.cortextech.io/a4c40c8e-7871-4137-a12c-4e2958af9abe.jpg?crop=1080%3A608%3Anowe%3A237%3A47]()
Wright rocks the rim! Motorola Magic Moment
- 00:13
![https://media-cdn.cortextech.io/67ba7453-4024-4a4f-811e-364a76f3bba2.jpg?crop=695%3A391%3Anowe%3A83%3A88]()
Lee’s two-handed slam! Motorola Magic Moment
- 01:24
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2025/04/25/2dIPkamxk4ZL2LCk9I6VthTOjLOPhRgz-1745619475025.jpg]()
Nikola Milutinov: 'We know Real Madrid is capable of coming back from 0-2'
- 00:31
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Sasha Vezenkov: 'We go to finish the series on Tuesday'
![https://media-cdn.cortextech.io/e5f275e4-956d-49ff-856d-8257cd8c9822.jpg]()
Olympiacos Piraeus-Real Madrid | PO Game 2 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
- 00:25
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Milutinov rocks the rim! Motorola Magic Moment
- 00:50
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2025/04/23/zqwPRfY6SWcNFRnhI4n8sSOh3pdxJMQ5-1745442546967.jpg]()
Nikola Milutinov: 'We have to stay humble'
- 00:45
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2025/04/23/pxRyY7TksQyy34xQCQuW4qV0SuoDdZvH-1745442522890.jpg]()
Sasha Vezenkov: 'Real Madrid will come ready to play in Game 2'
![https://media-cdn.cortextech.io/65dc624a-c107-4a2f-a63e-3660148417f3.jpg]()
Olympiacos Piraeus-Real Madrid | PO Game-1 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
- 00:12
![https://media-cdn.cortextech.io/a858182f-8b6e-4c92-bdf3-f9b0e8f202cc.jpg?crop=1080%3A607%3Anowe%3A118%3A52]()
McKissic skies for a ferocious slam! Motorola Magic Moment
- 00:10
![https://media-cdn.cortextech.io/2b027fe5-9d41-46ca-ae46-86891b1bac56.jpg?crop=1080%3A608%3Anowe%3A142%3A121]()
Fall detonates the dunk! Motorola Magic Moment
- 00:12
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/56b9db61-26a3-416c-b245-d3957f567828.jpg?crop=1080%3A607%3Anowe%3A136%3A97]()
Milutinov rocks the rim! Motorola Magic Moment
- 01:15
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2025/04/10/WsRYYZQ6fdUkxHGncV55uwSCW2dGTjUD-1744319655808.jpg]()
Moses Wright: 'It's great to be back on the court'
![https://media-cdn.cortextech.io/5918722c-7382-462a-a0fa-aa3394e822aa.jpg]()
Olympiacos Piraeus-Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv | RS Round 34 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
- 01:37
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2025/04/05/b9faeCpLE1CULdiiObW7rnOQC6Oeo4P7-1743811407714.jpg]()
Alec Peters: 'Career high, but what's sticking with me are the zero rebounds'
![https://media-cdn.cortextech.io/be6165dc-c29e-4868-b8a1-699d05fd43f5.jpg]()
ALBA Berlin-Olympiacos Piraeus | RS Round 33 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
![https://media-cdn.cortextech.io/67221449-e47a-419b-b4f6-99f26f1f8081.jpg]()
Valencia Basket-Hapoel Shlomo Tel Aviv | SF Game 3 Highlights | 2024-25 BKT EuroCup
- 00:13
![https://media-cdn.cortextech.io/05ee8447-cf02-41ea-a69a-a0c89c5c81ac.jpg?crop=1220%3A686%3Anowe%3A16%3A80]()
Reuvers's alley-oop dunk! Magic Moment
- 00:06
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Costello's big block! Magic Moment
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/802a18ec-9f6d-49da-987b-057827d8cab7.jpg]()
Hapoel Shlomo Tel Aviv-Valencia Basket | SF Game 2 Highlights | 2024-25 BKT EuroCup
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/c1bd3fde-2cc7-4e1d-be77-e2f10912bfdf.jpg]()
Olympiacos Piraeus-AS Monaco | RS Round 32 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
- 00:49
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2025/03/25/frsroLxE7uuEA1JcqQgCu2xA7gxjvqsj-1742942804920.jpg]()
Jean Montero: 'I'm just trying to do the best I can do'
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/24e9a711-7855-4d48-ac51-d03088cd6fee.jpg]()
LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne-Olympiacos Piraeus | RS Round 31 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
![https://img.youtube.com/vi/xGRZrkWaVTg/maxresdefault.jpg]()
Valencia Basket-Hapoel Shlomo Tel Aviv | SF Game 1 Highlights | 2024-25 BKT EuroCup
- 00:32
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2025/03/25/wZ7TdAjg30f4BzHAS9g2pgLnXHrVNb9P-1742943246415.jpg]()
Pradilla's coast-to-coast dunk! Magic Moment of the Night
- 00:12
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/970f53b1-50ce-4ce6-965f-f067548fa32e.jpg?crop=1151%3A647%3Anowe%3A115%3A111]()
Reuvers's alley-oop slam! Magic Moment
- 00:10
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/4439e27a-7770-45c4-9fc8-584de8286eea.jpg?crop=1080%3A607%3Anowe%3A128%3A54]()
Brimah's big block! Magic Moment
![https://img.youtube.com/vi/QutvKk9HswQ/maxresdefault.jpg]()
EuroLeague 25 Moments: Olympiacos and its historic 2012 comeback
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/4fd3ed4b-eef6-4df8-9eb3-10155baf9ac2.jpg]()
Olympiacos Piraeus-Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade | RS Round 30 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
- 01:51
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2025/03/14/tzgpulUzbJjWkqRbHeB6ouidQ3oIqQuI-1741990940527.jpg]()
Sasha Vezenkov: 'We want titles, not wins'
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/994e7012-87de-49af-b5a5-6e9fbebfab2f.jpg]()
Olympiacos Piraeus-Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens | RS Round 29 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
- 00:17
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/36806259-9f66-44e5-b34f-d4071f91fb78.jpg?crop=1080%3A607%3Anowe%3A141%3A44]()
Vezenkov’s magic dish! Motorola Magic Moment
- 00:15
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/4c5e5848-f6f3-45a7-819c-268992e72e04.jpg?crop=1080%3A608%3Anowe%3A135%3A146]()
Fall rejects Grant! Motorola Magic Moment
![https://img.youtube.com/vi/53-qPl-i8LI/maxresdefault.jpg]()
Valencia Basket-U-BT Cluj-Napoca | Quarterfinals Highlights | 2024-25 BKT EuroCup
- 00:48
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Chris Jones: 'We played hard'
- 00:09
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/6d24455a-82ae-41bf-824b-ca9707ea36e6.jpg?crop=1080%3A608%3Anowe%3A250%3A55]()
Lopez-Arostegui turns on the style! Magic Moment
- 00:11
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/d952c147-2e4d-479b-a520-ba8b5e5b04e9.jpg?crop=1080%3A608%3Anowe%3A55%3A41]()
Ojeleye says no! Magic Moment
- 01:50
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Sasha Vezenkov: 'Kendrick Nunn is a great player and great person'
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/4231fb9f-dd15-43c5-b147-efc54e77da08.jpg]()
Olympiacos Piraeus-Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade | RS Round 28 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
- 00:14
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/ef61762f-4ff9-413a-8fe5-9af45c1f72f8.jpg?crop=1264%3A711%3Anowe%3A43%3A43]()
McKissic rocks the rim! Motorola Magic Moment
- 01:01
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2025/02/28/uYmDFQe2eZObPyrJKOFYMGxlDOh2xQu2-1740778113377.jpg]()
Alec Peters: 'Our team is full of guys who can step up'
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/38d5f87b-c509-44a7-9319-e0e9782a1260.jpg]()
Virtus Segafredo Bologna-Olympiacos Piraeus | RS Round 27 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
Another important element was the rebounding battle, as Olympiacos took advantage of Valencia’s lack of big bodies – with centers Brandon Davies and Boubacar Toure both injured – to take 36 rebounds against just 30 for the host.
Alec Peters led the way with a new personal best 11 boards and afterward commented: “They were missing some key players, most of them are 5s or 4s, so that was a point of emphasis, especially with Moustapha [Fall] back for this game and Moses [Wright] coming along pretty well since joining the team.
“So it was huge for us to make sure we were living in the paint today and we did a good job. Sometimes it’s my scoring that can help the team win, sometimes it’s rebounding. Those are two things I try to pride myself on and bring to the team, and tonight happened to be a good night.”
The Reds also provided enough offense to ensure that defensive effort wasn’t wasted, with Isaiah Canaan delivering 16 points and Thomas Walkup celebrating his 200th appearance in the competition by providing 7 points, 5 assists and 2 steals.
Shaq McKissic (10 points), Moses Wright (10) and Nigel Williams-Goss (9) also contributed significantly to a win that shows Olympiacos is collectively very much heading in the right direction.
And Bartzokas reacted to his team’s all-around strong performance by sounding a warning for the rest of the league as he concluded: “If we are in step, we’re going to be a very difficult opponent for any team.”