Biberovic stepped up for Fenerbahce in victory over Monaco

Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul had an unexpected hero on Wednesday night, as Tarik Biberovic led the Turkish team’s scoring with 14 points to propel an 89-78 victory over AS Monaco which leaves Saras Jasikevicius’s team one win away from the Final Four.

Biberovic came into the game with an average of just 6.8 points, having featured sparsely in the opening two games of the series with averages of just 2 points, 12 minutes on the floor and a PIR of minus 3.5

But the 23-year-old forward stepped up to play a crucial role in Game 3, shooting with good efficiency as he made 2 of his 3 two-point, 2-of-5 from three-point range and all 4 of his free throw attempts. He also added 1 assist, 4 rebounds and 2 steals in nearly 20 minutes on the floor, adding up to a PIR of 15 – his joint-third best of the season.

Tarik Biberovic's best plays in Game 3

That effectiveness was not too surprising when you consider that Biberovic leads the league in three-point shooting percentage, making 55.2% of his shots from deep. Indeed, his first shot of the game was a converted three-pointer, while two of his two-point shots were very close to the line to underline his scoring ability from deep.

Biberovic, now in his sixth season in the competition, was definitely not getting carried away with the victory, as he approached his postgame television interview with the same serious focus that he displayed throughout the game, saying: “I’m really happy but we have one more game on Friday, that’s where my focus is.”

That sense of purpose was evident throughout Fenerbahce’s professional and well-executed performance, and Biberovic made it clear that his team will take nothing for granted on Friday as he concluded: “It's a physical series, we really prepare for this, every ball is important, every second is important, every detail is important.

“That’s all we’re thinking about right now, possession by possession and minute by minute to go for the Final Four.”

If Biberovic gives the quality possessions and minutes that he provided for his team in Game 3, the celebrations could be a lot more raucous on Friday.

Game News

The 23-year-old was his team's leading scorer in Game 3

Biberovic stepped up for Fenerbahce in victory over Monaco 

Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul v AS Monaco (2024-05-01T17:45:00.000Z)

Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul took a 2-1 series lead over AS Monaco, holding onto home advantage with a disciplined 89-78 victory on Wednesday. 

Fenerbahce triumphs over Monaco 89-78 in Game 3

Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul took a 2-1 series lead over AS Monaco, holding onto home advantage with a disciplined 89-78 victory on Wednesday. 

The first quarter was evenly contested, with neither team leading by more than 4 points, before Fenerbahce pulled into a 47-40 lead at the interval. The advantage grew to double-digits towards the end of the third, but Monaco fought back and it was tight heading into crunch time. The host dominated the final exchanges, delighting a raucous home crowd with a big win.

Fenerbahce was led by Nick Calathes with 13 points and 5 assists, while Tarik Biberovic poured in 14 points. Marko Guduric (11), Scottie Wilbekin (11) and Nigel Hayes-Davis (10) also scored in double digits. 

Alpha Diallo paced Monaco with a game-high 23 points, while Mike James paired 11 points with 7 assists. Jordan Loyd and Jaron Blossomgame both scored 11, and Donatas Motiejunas netted 10. 

Game Videos

Motiejunas netted twice as the early scoring was evenly exchanged before Hayes-Davis and Tyler Dorsey struck from deep for a 10-6 edge. James netted his first basket with a mid-range jumper and then added a three-point play for a 13-13 tie. Biberovic and Jordan Loyd traded triples before Biberovic and James netted two-point finishes. Jaron Blossomgame also hit from deep, giving Monaco a 19-21 lead at the end of the first. 

Guduric drained a three and added a fierce dunk, but Mam Jaiteh’s stickback kept Monaco close. Guduric was again on target, and Scottie Wilbekin added a triple for a 29-23 lead. Loyd responded 4 straight points before Dyshawn Pierre scored twice to keep Fener ahead, 36-31. Diallo’s mid-range shot was answered by layups from Georgios Papagiannis and Pierre, before free throws made it 43-37. Wilbekin’s backdoor layup, Matthew Strazel’s triple and Guduric’s layup completed the first half scoring, 47-40. 

Motiejunas scored the first 4 points of the second half before Calathes and Diallo traded inside baskets. Calathes again scored inside but James hit back with a triple to make it 53-49. Diallo’s fastbreak jam was bettered by Hayes-Davis and Calathes from close range before Nate Sestina’s three was met by Diallo’s three-point play. Wilbekin also had a jumper and one, and scores from Sestina and Guduric made it a double-digit lead, 69-58, through three quarters. 

Mid-range strikes from Diallo and Loyd boosted Monaco early in the fourth, but Calathes and Wilbekin struck for three either side of a Blossomgame alley-oop. The unstoppable Blossomgame added a dunk and a layup to make it 75-71, but Biberovic hit another triple and Papagiannis struck inside to settle the host. Diallo responded with a three-point play and a fastbreak jam, 83-78 with 3 minutes left. Biberovic hit a long two, and Papagiannis followed a dunk with a tip-in to pull the home team clear and seal the win. 

The Turkish side is one win away from a return to the Final Four

The playoffs action moves to new venues as four teams aim to take advantage of home-court advantage in Game 3. Here's your overview of Tuesday and Wednesday's games.

Game 3 turns up the playoffs temperature

[Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul 89-78 AS Monaco](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/game-center/2023-24/fenerbahce-beko-istanbul-as-monaco/E2023/320/)

Fenerbahce took a 2-1 series lead over Monaco, holding onto home advantage with a disciplined 89-78 victory on Wednesday. The first quarter was evenly contested, with neither team leading by more than 4 points, before Fenerbahce pulled into a 47-40 lead at the interval. The advantage grew to double-digits towards the end of the third, but Monaco fought back and it was tight heading into crunch time. The host dominated the final exchanges, delighting a raucous home crowd with a big win.

Fenerbahce was led by Nick Calathes with 13 points and 5 assists, while Tarik Biberovic poured in 14 points. Marko Guduric (11), Scottie Wilbekin (11) and Nigel Hayes-Davis (10) also scored in double digits. Alpha Diallo paced Monaco with a game-high 23 points, while Mike James paired 11 points with 7 assists. Jordan Loyd and Jaron Blossomgame both scored 11, and Donatas Motiejunas netted 10.

<center><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="tr" dir="ltr">Maç Bizim! <br><br>Play-off serisinde 2-1 öne geçiyoruz! 💪<br><br>Tebrikler Fenerbahçe Beko! 👏<br><br>Maç Sonucu | Fenerbahçe Beko 🆚<a href="https://twitter.com/ASMonaco_Basket?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ASMonaco_Basket</a>: 89-78<br><br>Skor dağılımımız: Biberovic 14, Calathes 13, Guduric 11, Wilbekin 11, Hayes-Davis 10, Pierre 8, Dorsey 8, Papagiannis 8, Sestina 5,… <a href="https://t.co/ORA7hUshUL">pic.twitter.com/ORA7hUshUL</a></p>&mdash; Fenerbahçe Beko (@FBBasketbol) <a href="https://twitter.com/FBBasketbol/status/1785760746934038925?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 1, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

[Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz 98-102 Real Madrid](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/game-center/2023-24/baskonia-vitoria-gasteiz-real-madrid/E2023/318/)

Reigning champion Real Madrid is the first team to reach the 2024 Final Four after a 98-102 win at Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz wrapped a 3-0 sweep in the series. It was a vintage comeback by Real, which trailed for much of the captivating contest but turned the tide with a 0-10 streak early in the fourth quarter to take an 80-85 lead. 

Real never looked back from there on, with Yabusele leading the charge on 23 points and 7 rebounds after a monstrous performance in the final 10 minutes. Markus Howard paced Baskonia with a game-high 29 points but the hosts, who were missing injured big man Chima Moneke throughout the series, ran out of steam in the home stretch of a rip-roaring encounter.

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Despite giving it their all Baskonia fall as <a href="https://twitter.com/RMBaloncesto?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RMBaloncesto</a> clinch their spot at the Final Four.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/EveryGameMatters?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#EveryGameMatters</a> <a href="https://t.co/h4rLtzSVCe">pic.twitter.com/h4rLtzSVCe</a></p>&mdash; Turkish Airlines EuroLeague (@EuroLeague) <a href="https://twitter.com/EuroLeague/status/1785771889303982498?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 1, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

[Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv 85-83 Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/game-center/2023-24/maccabi-playtika-tel-aviv-panathinaikos-aktor-athens/E2023/321/)

Maccabi moved within one win of a Final Four berth, holding on against Panathinaikos in a real thriller, 85-83, to take a 2-1 series lead. Maccabi raced into an early advantage and enjoyed several double-digit advantages throughout the first half, which ended 46-37. The lead stretched to 18 points, 57-39, in the third quarter, but Panathinaikos didn’t give up and tied it with 42 seconds left. Lorenzo Brown then won the game, netting free throws with 2.6 seconds remaining. 

Josh Nebo was the chief inspiration, leading the physical challenge with 22 points and 9 rebounds. Brown also came close to a double-double with 16 points and 8 assists, and Bonzie Colson added 13 points. Kendrick Nunn paced Panathinaikos with 25 points on 5-of-8 three-point shooting. Ioannis Papapetrou added 17 for the Greens while Mathias Lessort paired 14 points with 6 boards.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="iw" dir="rtl">רק עוד אחד! 💛💙<br>לסיקור וסטטיסטיקה &gt; <a href="https://t.co/EkV4xPsKN2">https://t.co/EkV4xPsKN2</a> <a href="https://t.co/vjMDzt2qGO">pic.twitter.com/vjMDzt2qGO</a></p>&mdash; Maccabi Tel Aviv BC 🇮🇱​ (@MaccabiTLVBC) <a href="https://twitter.com/MaccabiTLVBC/status/1785386973282087399?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 30, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

[Olympiacos Piraeus 80-82 FC Barcelona](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/game-center/2023-24/olympiacos-piraeus-fc-barcelona/E2023/319/)

What a thriller! Barcelona takes a 2-1 lead in the series and regains home-court advantage in its best-of-five playoff series with Olympiacos by downing the Reds 80-82 in overtime at Peace and Friendship Stadium! After a close start, Filip Petrusev and Moses Wright took over late in the first half, allowing Olympiacos to get a 37-32 margin at the break. A rain of three-pointers allowed Barca to get a 51-57 margin after 30 minutes. Petrusev allowed Olympiacos to get a 69-63 but Alex Abrines struck twice from downtown and Nico Laprovittola's reverse layup tied it, 71-71, with 7.6 seconds left. Nigel Wiliams-Goss missed a potential game-winning shot at the buzzer. Once in overtime, Tomas Satoransky tied the game with a three-pointer and Parker sealed the deal from the foul line with just 0.5 seconds left. Jan Vesely led Barca with 16 points.

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="fi" dir="ltr">KJLEKLJJKEJO EC JERJOWERJO ERJOKEROJIERQKJOER WJKER OJEWQ RJOEWR OJKER JIOER OJIE ROJIER WIOPER OIJER JKERJKO JIOEROJ IER JIOEROJI ER OJIER OJIER OJIEROI EROI ERWIO OWERI OI REOI RE IOERQW <a href="https://t.co/oZwmWsU0fO">pic.twitter.com/oZwmWsU0fO</a></p>&mdash; Barça Basket (@FCBbasket) <a href="https://twitter.com/FCBbasket/status/1785407831417491699?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 30, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

The playoff action moves to new venues as four teams aim to take advantage of home-court advantage in Game 3. Here's your overview of Tuesday and Wednesday's games.

Game Center: Real completes sweep of Baskonia; Fenerbahce takes 2-1 lead over Monaco

Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz v Real Madrid (2024-05-03T19:00:00.000Z)

Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul v AS Monaco (2024-05-03T17:45:00.000Z)

Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv v Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens (2024-05-02T18:45:00.000Z)

Olympiacos Piraeus v FC Barcelona (2024-05-02T16:45:00.000Z)

Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz v Real Madrid (2024-05-01T18:30:00.000Z)

Olympiacos Piraeus v FC Barcelona (2024-04-30T18:30:00.000Z)

Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv v Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens (2024-04-30T17:00:00.000Z)

A pair of all-time Turkish Airlines EuroLeague statistical leaders and longtime friends are making the playoffs series between Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul and AS Monaco their personal affair.

Brothers in arms, rivals in the playoffs

Mike James became EuroLeague's all-time scoring leader this season while Nick Calathes did the same in steals. Calathes had already been the all-time passing leader and this season became the first and only player to reached the milestone of 2,000 assists.

They are former teammates and friends who have already made history. Now, their duel in the first two games of the series between Monaco and Fenerbahce has stolen the spotlight. 

[MORE...](https://www.eurohoops.net/en/trademarks/1666650/brothers-in-arms-opponents-in-istanbul/)

Trademarks by Eurohoops: Brothers in arms, rivals in the playoffs

Perhaps the most remarkable aspect of Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv moving within a single victory of its first Final Four in a decade has been getting to that position without its top-rated player. Tamir Blatt and Antonius Cleveland have everything to do with that success.

Without Baldwin, Maccabi relied on Blatt and Cleveland

Perhaps the most remarkable aspect of Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv moving within a single victory of its first Final Four in a decade has been getting to that position without its top-rated player.

[Wade Baldwin](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/wade-baldwin-iv/009863/), a strong All-EuroLeague First Team candidate, led Maccabi in scoring and PIR during the regular season and was second on the team in assists and steals. He had 26 points and 5 assists in the team's Play-In Showdown blowout win over Baskonia. And in the series opener against Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens, [an 87-91 road win for Maccabi](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/game-center/2023-24/panathinaikos-aktor-athens-maccabi-playtika-tel-aviv/E2023/313/), he matched the team's best PIR with 18.

Baldwin did not finish Game 1, however, due to a calf injury he suffered with 8 minutes left and his team down by a bucket on the scoreboard. He has not been on court since then, although Maccabi is hoping he'll be healthy for Game 4 on Thursday.

The backcourt mainstay for Maccabi has been his fellow starter, [Lorenzo Brown](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/lorenzo-brown/009622/), who is leading the team's playoff effort with 16.7 points, 5.7 assists and a PIR of 17.7 while logging almost 32 minutes per game

In Baldwin's absence, though, Maccabi has found solutions in a duo of guards who bring different strengths to the task of matching up with the talented and versatile Panathinaikos backcourt.

[Antonius Cleveland](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/antonius-cleveland/012744/) is the designated defender in Baldwin's absence, helping to make life difficult for Panathinaikos scorers Kendrick Nunn and Kostas Sloukas while also attacking the rim. He's averaging almost 7 minutes more in the playoffs, with 2.1 extra points and 1.0 more rebounds per game than he had in the regular season.

[Tamir Blatt](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/tamir-blatt/011193/), even if his shooting and scoring has fallen off relative to the regular season, is putting up 5.3 assists as compared  to 4.7 until now. His 6 assists in Game 3 helped Maccabi reach a total of 23, which is the club record in a playoff game.

Perfect connection Blatt-Cleveland for a big alleyoop slam!

Great Blatt-Cleveland alleyoop connection! Motorola Magic Moment

Although Maccabi struggled [in Game 2 as Panathinaikos won at home 95-79](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/game-center/2023-24/panathinaikos-aktor-athens-maccabi-playtika-tel-aviv/E2023/317/) behind a career-high 29 points from Sloukas, Game 3 was a different story. It marked just the second time in his 45 playoff games to date that Sloukas played more than 10 minutes and was held scoreless. After his team trailed by as many as 18 points in the second half, Nunn led a late charge for Panathinaikos and finished with 25 points, but [Maccabi held onto win 85-83](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/game-center/2023-24/maccabi-playtika-tel-aviv-panathinaikos-aktor-athens/E2023/321/).

Both Cleveland and Blatt were in and out throughout the fourth quarter as Maccabi head coach Oded Kattash looked for solutions. His decision to keep Blatt on court for the game's last 3 minutes when defense was called for drew a question at the post-game press conference that Kattash answered eloquently.

"First of all, we needed Tamir (on the court) as another ball handler and somebody who can make decisions," Kattash said. "And I am a coach who believes in his players. I don't judge them based on one game or whether the shots go in or out. I trust Tamir. As a team, we trust Tamir. It doesn't interest me so much of his shots go in or not. Tamir was brilliant for us today. He was unfazed by their aggressiveness and was key in starting our offense. A lot of our points in transition came through his hands. And the effort that our \[point\] guards, Tamir and Lorenzo, are making is immense, as is the aggressiveness that they are feeling from the PAO guards."

Indeed, through three playoff games, Maccabi's average of just 8.0 turnovers is not only the best of any team in the playoffs. It is 3.0 fewer than Panathinaikos is committing and 4.3 fewer than Maccabi's average during the season.

In a series that is being decided by the smallest details, the turnover difference in Maccabi's favor as well as it's 76.9% to 63.6% edge in free throw shooting, to which Blatt and Cleveland have contributed by going a combined 5-for-5 at the foul line, is enough to make the difference – even in the absence of a superstar.

Even without the team's biggest star of the regular season, Maccabi is ahead in its playoff series with Panathinaikos.

Since the return of the Final Four format in 2002, the top Turkish Airlines EuroLeague players and teams have amassed some amazing numbers. Check out the single-game, single-season and all-time Final Four records below in 13 different statistical categories.

Final Four records: Points

**SEE ALSO**: [PIR ](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/tae2324-final-four-records-pir)| [PTS ](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/tae2324-final-four-records-points)| [2FG ](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/tae2324-final-four-records-two-pointers-made)| [3FG ](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/tae2324-final-four-records-three-pointers-made)| [FT ](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/tae2324-final-four-records-free-throws-made)| [2FG%](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/tae2324-final-four-records-two-point) | [3FG%](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/tae2324-final-four-records-three-point) | [FT%](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/tae2324-final-four-records-free-throw) | [TR ](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/tae2324-final-four-records-rebounds)| [OR ](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/tae2324-final-four-records-offensive-rebounds)| [AS ](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/tae2324-final-four-records-assists)| [ST ](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/tae2324-final-four-records-steals)| [BL](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/tae2324-final-four-records-blocks)

TOTAL POINTS: Sergio Lull

SCORING AVERAGE: Dejan Bodiroga

POINTS PER 40 MINUTES: Mikhail Kulagin

POINTS, ALL-TIME, PLAYERS

MOST TOTAL POINTS: CSKA Moscow

HIGHEST SCORING AVERAGE: Maccabi

POINTS PER 40 MINUTES: Maccabi Playtika Tell Aviv

POINTS, ALL-TIME, TEAMS

Tomas Satoransky was one of Barça Basket's stars on the night as the Spanish side beat Olympiacos BC 80-82 in Game 3 of the 2023-24 EuroLeague Playoffs.

Tomas Satoransky led Barcelona's never-say-die attitude in Game 3

FC Barcelona trailed for the large part of its Game 3 contest at Olympiacos Piraeus, but it managed to force overtime and get [a good-as-gold road win](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/jabari-parker-lifts-barcelona-past-olympiacos-in-game-3-ot-win-80-82/) to take a 2-1 lead in the series. Playmaker [Tomas Satoransky](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/tomas-satoransky/002939/) was the perfect example of Barca's resilience.

Above all, Barca never gave up when things looked like they could get out of control. Late in the fourth quarter and in the space of just 20 seconds, [Filip Petrusev](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/filip-petrusev/011194/) beat the shot clock with a 10-meter prayer, then [Moses Wright](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/moses-wright/012878/) had one of the biggest blocks of the current Turkish Airlines EuroLeague season, allowing [Nigel Williams-Goss](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/nigel-williams-goss/007982/) to score at the other end, giving Olympiacos a 69-63 margin with 2 minutes left in regulation time.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="in" dir="ltr">AMUUUUUNT!!! <a href="https://t.co/Hoog9w8a0e">pic.twitter.com/Hoog9w8a0e</a></p>&mdash; Barça Basket (@FCBbasket) <a href="https://twitter.com/FCBbasket/status/1785413813237325879?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 30, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Most teams would have considered it a done deal, but Barca refused to roll over. Team captain [Alex Abrines](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/alex-abrines/003478/) ignited his team's comeback with back-to-back three-pointers, his first makes of the game, before [Nico Laprovittola](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/nicolas-laprovittola/006435/) took over with a wild reverse layup that tied the game, 71-71, with 7.6 seconds remaining in regulation. Abrines provided the key defensive stop, forcing Williams-Goss to take an off-balance shot, which he missed.

### Satoransky saw Barcelona home

Once in overtime, Satoransky stepped up to make sure his team had a chance to win the game down the stretch. The 32-year-old scored in penetration and buried a critical three-pointer from the left corner to even the score at 80-80 with 36.6 seconds remaining. He went on to pick a non-shooting foul and played great one-on-one defense on Williams-Goss, with the Olympiacos guard having to take a very uncomfortable shot at the shot-clock buzzer.

FC Barcelona playmaker Tomas Satoransky came off the bench in Game 3 and had an all-around performance. He finished the game with 13 points on 2 of 3 two-pointers and 3 of 4 three-pointers, adding 4 rebounds, 5 assists and just one turnover for a team-high PIR of 20.

Satoransky makes things happen in Game 3

Satoransky's defensive heroics allowed Barca to get the ball back and [Jabari Parker](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/jabari-parker/012745/) then sealed the outcome from the foul line with just 0.5 seconds left. Barca won 80-82, regaining home-court advantage in the series.

"Well, I'm obviously proud of my team that we stayed in a game mentally. It was a very difficult game," Satoransky told EuroLeague TV after the game. "We were up in a lot of moments of the game, they came back with their hustle again. It looked like we lost the game. But we stayed calm and that's what it's all about in away games, you know: stay in the game and think about the next play. That's what we did today. And we hit some huge shots at the end."

FC Barcelona guard Tomas Satoransky spoke to EuroLeague TV after his team's Game 3 win at Olympiacos Piraeus in the 2023-24 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Playoffs.

Tomas Satoransky, Barcelona: 'I'm proud of my team'

"We played a very difficult game. You know how difficult it is to play on this court, and they played a very, very physical game," center Jan Vesely stated, also to EuroLeague TV. "We believed until the end and stayed together and executed what we prepared."

Satoransky came off the bench in Game 3 and had an impressive all-around performance. He finished the game with 13 points on 2-for-3 two-pointers and 3-for-4 three-point shooting, adding 4 rebounds, 5 assists and just 1 turnover for a team-high PIR of 20. Vesely led all Barca scorers with 16 points. Barca's Czech connection was crucial in grabbing the win in Game 3.

The guests finished the game with 14 offensive rebounds, 26 assists and just 12 turnovers, hitting 11 of 25 shots from downtown (44% 3FG).

"Nothing is done yet," Satoransky added. "We have to get prepared for Game 4, which is going to be, I'm expecting, the same tough game like today."

FC Barcelona's Tomas Satoransky in action against Olympiacos Piraeus in Game 3 of the 2023-24 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Playoffs.

The Czech guard had a very impressive night as the Blaugrana defeated Olympiacos

Olympiacos BC duo Filip Petrusev and Moses Wright both impressed in Game 3 against Barça Basket, but they ended up tasting defeat as the visitors won 80-82.

Filip Petrusev, Moses Wright gave their all for Olympiacos in Game 3 defeat

On a night when Olympiacos Piraeus’s bench players outscored the starters 54-26, the Greek side still came up short to FC Barcelona as [it lost 80-82 in overtime in Game 3](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/jabari-parker-lifts-barcelona-past-olympiacos-in-game-3-ot-win-80-82/) of their best-of-five series in the 2023-24 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Playoffs.

Big men [Filip Petrusev](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/filip-petrusev/011194/) and [Moses Wright](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/moses-wright/012878/) were the two main contributors off the bench for the Reds, combining for 34 points, 13 rebounds and 3 blocks. For Petrusev, he had his best scoring night since joining Olympiacos in a mid-season transfer, netting 18 points, while Wright’s energy certainly made up for the absence of [Nikola Milutinov](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/nikola-milutinov/003941/), who didn’t see a second on the floor.

Filip Petrusev and Moses Wright combined for 34 points, 13 rebounds and 3 blocks as Olympiacos Piraeus fell 80-82 in overtime to FC Barcelona in Game 3 of the 2023-24 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Playoffs.

Petrusev, Wright impressed in Game 3 vs. Barcelona

### A notable impact

The majority of Wright’s points came in a fruitful second quarter as he scored 11 points to help Olympiacos turn a 13-13 score at the end of the first period into a 37-32 lead at the break. Petrusev, meanwhile, had 8 points at halftime. Olympiacos was not getting much out of its starters, so the impact of Petrusev and Wright was definitely a big plus.

Both Wright and Petrusev got limited game time in the third, albeit the American was able to tack on two more points to his tally, but they were at the fore of everything good for the Reds in the fourth as Barcelona mounted a comeback on the back of impressive three-point shooting. In overtime, however, things didn’t quite go to plan for the two bench players as their impact faded and Barcelona managed to secure an 80-82 win after [Jabari Parker](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/jabari-parker/012745/) went 2 for 3 from the line with 0.5 seconds to go.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">The game stats 📊 | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/OLYBAR?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#OLYBAR</a> <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/IfjyWCdj3P">pic.twitter.com/IfjyWCdj3P</a></p>&mdash; Olympiacos B.C. (@Olympiacos_BC) <a href="https://twitter.com/Olympiacos_BC/status/1785413781608079382?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 30, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

There was a feeling of frustration and disappointment for everyone at Olympiacos after Game 3, but if Petrusev and Wright can perform to a similar level in Game 4 on Thursday – and the starters can play to their usual standards – we might be heading back to Barcelona for a do-or-die Game 5 next week.

Moses Wright dunks for Olympiacos Piraeus in its Game 3 defeat to FC Barcelona in the 2023-24 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Playoffs.

The two bench players made a huge impact in the game, but it wasn’t enough

Barça Basket went 8 for 14 on three-pointers in the second half against Olympiacos BC in Game 3 after shooting 3 for 11 through the first 20 minutes.

Barcelona caught fire from deep to turn the tide against Olympiacos

It’s advantage FC Barcelona in its series against Olympiacos Piraeus in the 2023-24 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Playoffs. It went right down until the final seconds of overtime, but [Jabari Parker](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/jabari-parker/012745/) kept his cool from the line to [seal an 80-82 win](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/jabari-parker-lifts-barcelona-past-olympiacos-in-game-3-ot-win-80-82/) and give Barcelona a 2-1 lead in the series.

Although Olympiacos held a 37-32 advantage at halftime, it could have been worse were it not for [Nikola Kalinic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/nikola-kalinic/004866/)’s three-pointer with 4 seconds to go before the break. That was just the third made triple of the first half for the visitors, who went 3 for 11 from long range through the first 20 minutes.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="es" dir="ltr">VISCA EL BARÇA 💛❤️ <a href="https://t.co/UFlw9xbHko">pic.twitter.com/UFlw9xbHko</a></p>&mdash; Barça Basket (@FCBbasket) <a href="https://twitter.com/FCBbasket/status/1785421449114566916?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 30, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

### Going to another level after halftime

The halftime interval did wonders for Barcelona, though, as it flipped the switch in the opening stages of the third quarter. Roger Grimau would see his men hit 3 three-pointers in quick succession – the first from [Tomas Satoransky](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/tomas-satoransky/002939/), then the next from [Nico Laprovittola](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/nicolas-laprovittola/006435/) and the last from Parker – as Barcelona took a 40-41 advantage, its first lead since early in the second quarter.

In fact, after halftime, Barcelona would go 8 for 14 from three-point land, the most crucial of which was Satoransky’s triple with 36 seconds to go in overtime as the *Blaugrana* tied the game at 80-80. Then, in the final seconds of the extra period, Parker became the hero by going 2 for 3 from the charity stripe with 0.5 seconds remaining to decide the game.

The Reds wish to welcome back Kostas Papanikolaou after he missed the opening encounters with a fever and long for Isaiah Canaan to resume his scoring exploits, whereas Barça seek improved guard play and a repeat performance from Jabari Parker following his 4-for-7 three-point shooting.

Olympiacos Piraeus-FC Barcelona  | Playoffs Game 3 | 2023-24 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague

“I think that this is a win of belief and the whole team pushing when things are really difficult,” Coach Grimau said to EuroLeague TV afterward. “Finding those spot-ups and making hard threes, defense trying to close the boards. It’s a really good team win.”

Barcelona can now look ahead to Thursday’s Game 4 knowing that it needs just one more win to secure its fourth successive passage to the Final Four.

FC Barcelona's Alex Abrines celebrates a made shot during his team's Game 3 win at Olympiacos Piraeus in the 2023-24 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Playoffs.

The visitors made up for a poor first half from three-point range by being lights out the rest of the way