Kostas Papanikolaou rolled back the years at La Fonteta

Olympiacos Piraeus forward Kostas Papanikolaou was named the Player of the Game after shining in his team's impressive 85-92 win at Valencia Basket, as the 32-year-old tied his Euroleague career high of 22 points to help keep the Reds in the competition’s driving seat.
Having won back-to-back Euroleague titles with Olympiacos in 2012 and 2013 in the early stages of his career, Papanikolaou underlined his credentials to play a major role as a stalwart in his team's bid to capture its third title in Europe’s premier club competition since the turn of the century.
With Olympiacos struggling in the first half against a fired-up Valencia, Papanikolaou kept his team in the game by amassing 13 points in the opening two quarters.
He also stepped up in the second half, nailing a clutch three-pointer to give the visitors an unassailable 78-88 lead in the dying minutes, clenching his fists in delight as he silenced a vocal home crowd.
Papanikolaou personified Olympiacos's resilience and the ability to win games in the face of adversity, as the Reds only hit top gear after twice falling 15 points behind in the first half.
“What matters most is the win. This is what will make us happy at the end of the season, if we keep winning and put ourselves in a great position,” Papanikolaou said in a flash post-game interview.
“It was a very tough game, a very tough crowd; they know their basketball. Personally, I love playing here. I have great memories of playing here. If you win the memories are better, but like I said before, it’s a great place to play. The fans here know how to create a great atmosphere.”
It was a big win for Papanikolaou and Olympiacos, as the Reds end another round at the top of the EuroLeague standings.