"Costa del Sol": Real Madrid - Οlympiacos 80-69

Olympiacos completed the "Costa del Sol" tournament with a defeat. Our team lost 69-80 to Real Madrid, in a game that apart from many and important absences, David Blatt did not use Vassilis Spanoulis in the second half and Zach LeDay and suffered cramps and had to leave the game at 28’.

Relying on their good defense and good perimeter shooting, the ‘reds’ set the tempo and closed the first half leading 23-14. The Spanish team closed in at 4 after a 5-0 streak (19-23 at 12’), however, Olympiacos having Zach LeDay leading the offense widened the margin once again (10p., 21-31 at 14’). Pablo Lasso’s team tried to change the game through perimeter shooting, however, Axel Toupane and Zach LeDay did their best so as to maintain the lead for our team (+5, 38-43 at 20’).

David Blatt chose to rest Vassilis Spanoulis in the second half. The captain’s absence had mainly an impact on our team’s offense and allowed Real Madrid to move ahead following a partial 18-6 (56-49, at 28’). The ‘reds’ suffered another blow at that point, since Zach LeDay was forced to prematurely leave the game due to cramping. However, the ‘reds’ remained competitive. Axel Toupane led the counter attack and our team succeeded in leading once again at 35’ (64-66). However, there was no more stamina from that point on and our team ‘surrendered’ to the ‘Queen’.

"They did a good job"

David Blatt commented: “It was a back to back game and I think that our players made a great effort. They played against a tough, high level team. We were leading by 2 points at 35’ and this without Spanoulis, who did not play in the second half and LeDay that got injured in the 3rd quarter. His injury is a muscle one. Our players did a good job and responded positively during a time that eight players from our roster were absent. One victory and one good game are proof enough that we are on the right path and I’m happy from our performance in the tournament”.

The quarters: 14-23, 38-43, 62-57, 80-69.