Fenerbahçe came to Athens as defending champions, with Šarūnas Jasikevičius's defensive system and a roster built to suffocate. They had done it to Panathinaikos a year ago in Abu Dhabi. They knew how to win ugly.
They left with 61 points — Olympiacos 79.
Fenerbahçe's 24 first-half points were the fewest they had ever scored in a semifinal in their Final Four history. The team that made a living making others uncomfortable spent the entire night deeply uncomfortable themselves.
The opening set the tone. Tyler Dorsey scored 8 points and Vezenkov added a bucket to give Olympiacos a 12-0 lead midway through the first quarter — Fenerbahçe's first basket didn't come until three minutes before the end of the period. By then, the game had already been decided in spirit if not on the scoreboard. Eurobasket
Fenerbahçe shot just 22.2% from three — 8 from 36 attempts. Olympiacos outrebounded them 43 to 34. The margin wasn't just in the shooting. It was in everything.
The pattern was relentless. Olympiacos opened the first quarter with a 12-0 run, the second with an 11-0 run, and the third with another 11-0. Every time Fenerbahçe reset at a new period, Olympiacos hit them first. Thirty-four unanswered points across three quarter-opening runs. That's not momentum. That's a plan.
Nikola Milutinov anchored the interior with 13 rebounds, 10 of them defensive. He was immovable. His +21 across the game tells you where Olympiacos stood every time he was on the floor. Basketball-Reference.com
And then there was Alec Peters. Peters led all scorers with 17 points, shooting 7-of-7 from inside the arc and 3-of-3 from three, posting a game-high efficiency rating in just 18 minutes. After the game he kept it simple: "These events are special for a reason. Special moments happen. Efficiency is the name of the game."
Vezenkov added 16, Dorsey finished with 15, and Ward and Fournier contributed 10 each. Five players in double figures. Nobody trying to be the hero because nobody needed to be.
This is what Olympiacos built all season — a team that can win in multiple ways, with multiple players, at the highest level. On Friday in Athens, they won the defensive game against the best defensive team in Europe.
This is what Olympiacos built all season — a team that can win in multiple ways, with multiple players, at the highest level. On Friday in Athens, they won the defensive game against the best defensive team in Europe. Some statements don't need a trophy to land.
