The home team hit top gear down the stretch to clinch an impressive victory
Red-hot Crvena Zvezda roasts Olympiacos with fourth-quarter fire
Izveštaji utakmica
3 Min čitanja
Regular Season
Round 13 of 38
Regular Season
Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet BelgradeCZV
9180
Olympiacos PiraeusOLY
Overview
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Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade and Olympiacos Piraeus treated the audience to one of the best games of the season inside a jam-packed Belgrade Arena on Wednesday.
Powered by a deafening roar from its faithful, Zvezda clinched the thriller 91-80 after draining 15-of-35 shots from three-point range, unleashing lethal long-range firepower in the fourth quarter, which the home team clinched 32-15 to sink the visitors.
The game, played at a torrid pace throughout, offered everything one could ask for from two of the competition’s top teams, boasting an abundance of talent and physical ability. The rip-roaring contest swung back and forth, with the lead changing hands time and again before Zvezda forced the final twist on the back of a magnificent home straight orchestrated by Codi Miller-McIntyre.
The livewire guard scored all his 10 points in the last 5 minutes of the enthralling clash, adding 9 assists as he delivered the knockout punch when his team needed him the most. Miller-McIntyre was just one of many Zvezda heroes who rose to the occasion, as Jordan Nwora led the charge on a team-high 23 points while Semi Ojeleye chipped in with 15. The versatile Chima Moneke racked up 11 points and as many boards as Zvezda sent its joyous fans into raptures with the fourth quarter whirlwind.
“We stayed together down the stretch as we had confidence in each other,” Nwora said in his post-game comments. “They made a run, so we responded with our own run. Jared Butler and Devonte' Graham did a great job sparking it and we were able to finish the game,” added the forward, who played his second game after missing six through injury.
Butler and Graham nailed clutch three-pointers early in the fourth quarter, which instigated Zvezda’s comeback and ultimately wiped out a 12-point second-half deficit, the latter scoring 9 points in his first game for the club since he joined the Serbian team during the offseason and was then sidelined by injury.
Trailing 59-65 at the end of the third, the duo’s antics were instrumental in a 13-0 run, which gave Zvezda the lead for good as the hosts were able to repel anything Olympiacos threw at them. It was a gratifying win for head coach Sasa Obradovic, who has changed the team’s DNA since he took over earlier this term after a 0-2 start.
“We were aggressive as we were up against a team with championship ambitions,” Obradovic told the postgame press conference. “It was a great performance by both teams at both ends of the court and I must once again hail the impact our fans have when they throng the gym. That’s why putting their hearts on the sleeve and leaving it all out there on the court is a minimum requirement for each and every one of the players. We must keep our feet on the ground heading into the break and appreciate that we’re only one-third through the season,” he added.
Obradovic stressed he knew he’d raised the bar for himself and the team. “I can’t promise this great run will be crowned by any silverware at the end of the season, but what matters is that I have big dreams and I give my absolute best every day to make them come true. At the end of it all, I want to be able to look at myself in the mirror and say that I’ve done my best to make it happen.”
Moneke was the silent water that runs deep as he did much of the thankless hard work in the paint at both ends, as Zvezda grabbed 13 offensive boards while dishing out 20 team assists.
Holding a drawing of himself crafted and presented to him by one of the fans, Moneke showed just how deeply he was touched by the attention. “We’ve got the best fans in Europe,” he said. “They were amazing tonight and when we were down by 12, they propelled us to victory. We never give up with them and, at home, we’re unstoppable. Words can’t do enough justice how much I love these fans and like I said before, I don’t want to be anywhere else. Down by 12 against a team, which people feel can win it all, it shows what type of team we are and the belief we have.”
It was a bitter pill to swallow for Olympiacos, who fell short despite a valiant solo effort from Sasha Vezenkov, who amassed 29 points and 8 boards, but his contribution went unrewarded as the visitors appeared to run out of steam when the chips were down.
Head coach Georgios Bartzokas conceded that his men failed to hold their nerves after appearing to be in the driving seat.
“We made all the mistakes in the world after going 12 points up. Turnovers, no patience on transition, we just didn’t control our emotions,” he said. “This Zvezda team is faster, more explosive and more confident than it was in the previous years. They control games well with their good point guards and with this kind of atmosphere, it’s always difficult to win here.”
