After getting back on track with a pair of victories in the double-round week, Valencia (7-6) has the tough task of going for three in a row with a trip to Olympiacos (7-6) in a showdown between two of the five teams tied for sixth place.
Georgios Bartzokas, Olympiacos: 'We have a plan for playing them'
Seasons
3 Mins read
Regular Season
Round 14 of 34
Regular Season
Olympiacos PiraeusOLY
5663
Valencia BasketVBC
Overview
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Thomas Walkup has stepped up as the Reds' leader in recent weeks, scoring at least 14 points in four games straight and also dishing 7 assists to orchestrate the Round 13 victory over Bayern. Valencia's return to winning ways was propelled by Semi Ojeleye, who scored 17 and 16 points in respective wins over Zvezda and ASVEL, the latter of which saw the Spanish team's defense in synch to allow just 55 points. The Reds are 11-3 all-time against Valencia, but home teams have won this matchup the last five times, which means Valencia is aiming for its third straight victory in Piraeus, too.
Georgios Bartzokas, Olympiacos head coach
"They are team that defensively is right now the best in Europe in terms of points per possession. In terms of the points they allow to the opponent. They are a team that chooses a variety of defensive systems, but heavily relies on the athleticism of their big players. Davies and Inglis can change during the screens and guard perimeter players. We have a plan for playing them. They are a team that is in good shape, they have a good roster and of course it's going to be a difficult game for us. They play on the road, and we must win, but it's not going to be easy, at all."
Alex Mumbru, Valencia head coach
"We are travelling to a complicated courtm difficult. They play great defense and have a deep roster in which we will se Petrusev and Williams-Goss returning. They play great baksetball and at home they do so even better. They are improving week after week and we will have to play great defense in order to stop their offense, plus we will have to be smart on offense. The team feels fine because of the wins, but we are suffering injuries and that awlays affects us."
Filip Petrusev, Olympiacos player
"I feel I'm at 75-80 percent. I feel much better than when I got here. I have worked a lot, the coaches have been pushing me enough, so I'm definitely in much better shape. I'm definitely ready to play and I can't wait for that. Just like all other Spanish teams, Valencia is fast. They protect the paint well and we must move the ball efficiently, play as a team, like we always do and if we do all that, we'll be fine."