Two for two for Olympiacos in Italy
Olympiacos won for a second time in a friendly game in Italy. The Piraeus team edged Venetia 93-63 with Matt Lojeski being the game MVP.
Olympiacos began the game with Spanoulis, Lojeski and Hunter scoring the first points and the reds took a 4-7 lead at 2’. The reds continued with excellent co-operations in the first five minutes and were leading 9-14 at 5’ while the difference climbed two digits (13-23) following a three by Oliver Lafayette, three minutes before the end of the first quarter. The first quarter ended 19-29 following an impressive dunk by Bryant Dunston.
With five quick points from Lafayette and Sloukas the difference was up to 15 points (19-34) at 11’. The team of Giorgos Bartzokas continued working in an exemplary manner in offense and the difference was up to 18 points at 15” (23-41) while following a three by Lojeski and a dunk by Dunston the board was showing 28-46. The Italian team made an 8-0 run and closed in at 36-46, but Vangleis Mantzaris with four consecutive points put the 36-50 marker of the first half.
The difference was close to 20 points following four points by Darden and a dunk by Printezis (45-64). At the end of the third quarter and following a three by Brent Petway, the difference surpassed 20 points (53-75). The reds went on with the same tempo into the last quarter as well. Offense was exceptional and with three points by Agravanis plus 30 (60-90) was a fact with the Piraeus team winning the game 63-93.
The quarters: 19-29, 36-50, 53-75, 63-93.
Venetia (Recalcati): Peric 12(2), Tinsley, Moore 16, Roogiere 10(2), Bolpine, Ress 6, Zouka, Ortner 1, Vizziano 5(1), Cheron 5(1), Dulkic 8.
Olympiacos (Bartzokas): Petway 5(1 3p, 4 reb), Hunter 10 (2 reb), Dunston 9 (7 reb), Spanoulis 8(1 3p, 4 reb, 7as), Sloukas 7 (3reb, 4as), Simmons 6, Printezis 6 (4reb), Agravanis 3 (5reb), Mantzaris 4 (4reb. – 6as.), Lafayette 10(2 3p,1as, 1st), Darden 10 (3 reb, 2bl), Lojeski 15(2 3p, 7reb, 3as,5st, 30 ranking points).
Our team’s coach, Giorgos Bartzokas, spoke to the Reyer Venezia television following the end of the game, and stressed: “It was really great for us to play in such an atmosphere, we wish to thank the people of Venezia for the welcoming. It’s still very early for us, we are still trying different things. It’s positive that we did rather well against an ambitious team like Venezia”.
KOSTAS SLOUKAS: “It’s still rather early for us, practices are intense, we are looking to find where we stand and with the internationals just incorporating we are kind of behind the rest, but we have been working hard so as to be absolutely ready for the first season final”.