Olympiacos triumphed over Barcelona in Spain on Wednesday and will join Panathinaikos at the Euroleague basketball Final Four set to take place later this month in Berlin.
The Reds defied expectations, securing a 63-59 victory to clinch the best-of-five-quarterfinal series 3-2 and progress once again to the competition’s pinnacle event.
The pressure was palpable in Game 5, hindering both teams’ ability to exhibit quality basketball. Notably, Olympiacos could only muster nine points in the opening quarter, trailing 12-9.
However, the Greek champions found their rhythm as the game progressed. Despite trailing 27-25 at halftime, they managed to level the match at 40-40 after the third quarter.
Although Barcelona briefly surged ahead 47-42 early in the final quarter, coach Giorgos Bartzokas’ squad mounted a resilient comeback, outscoring their opponents 15-2 to seize a 57-49 lead and secure victory.
Shaquielle McKissic led the charge for the Reds with 12 points, supported by Kostas Papanikolaou who contributed another 11.
In the semifinals in Berlin, Olympiacos will square off against Real Madrid, while Panathinaikos will face Fenerbahce in the other fixture.
