It’s fair to say that Michalis Lountzis has not exactly been a fundamental part of Olympiacos Piraeus’s title challenge so far this season…until, that is, a monster performance from the 24 year-old guard in Friday night’s 76-70 victory over Anadolu Efes Istanbul.
Heading into the game at the Peace and Friendshjp Stadium, Lountzis was averaging 1.1 points, 0.9 rebounds and 0.6 assists per game, with 6:23 playing time and a PIR of 1.8. His season high was 4 points, achieved against Virtus Segafredo Bologna in Round 12, and five of his 10 appearances resulted in 0 points scored.
That was in large part because Lountzis was not really needed, acting as the fifth guard in Olympiacos’s rotation behind Thomas Walkup, Isaiah Canaan, Kostas Sloukas and Giannoulis Larentzkis. But injury to Sloukas meant that Lountzis was given an enhanced role for the visit of Efes, and he stepped up magnificently.
