On Tuesday evening (March 21), Lavrio and Olympiacos had to fight in the postponed match of the 15th game of the Basket League. The two sides ‘owed’ the game due to the leaking roof, with the Piraeus clinching victory in the second of four games they had in Greece and Europe in eight days.

It was 19-0 (9-0 home and 10-0 away) for the red-whites who had to do without the patient Giorgos Bartzokas and Shaquille McKissick, who was the seventh foreigner in the line-up to miss a rotation. Great as always, Sasha Vezenkov followed under the eyes of the Sacramento Kings, Peters, Slukas, Papanikolaou and Black in an overall easy night (35 assists for 38 baskets) ahead of Friday’s (03/24) game against Partizan at the Stark Arena.

Lavrio fell to 5-14 (4-6 home and 1-8 away) which continues with a goal to remain in the top division of Greek basketball. Giorgos Limniatis’ side knew they had a great opportunity to force the hottest team in Europe, they did it in the first half and more, but in the end they suffered the most normal defeat of their season.

The race

With Vezenkov entering the game in an unlikely state, Olympiacos built a good lead early (15-6 in 4′) and were not threatened by the hosts. Vezenkov finished the period impressively (18-29) but Lavrio gradually found a rhythm, had Flagg and Zara in amazing shape, reduced to six (34-40) midway through the second and was competitive, so competitive that he wrote and 48 – 52 at 19′ as Zaras reached 14 unbeaten (4/4 three-pointers) in an overall satisfactory first twenty minutes.

The Red and Whites knew they had to be serious to avoid being threatened and threw themselves into the third period. They increased their energy at both ends of the floor, with Vezenkov – Papanikolaou outstanding again in the 30th minute with 63:79 by which Lavrio understood that he couldn’t claim anymore. Slukas opened the fourth third with a three for +19 and from there the game lost interest as the goal was scored and the spectators left the closed full.

THE REFEREES: Zacharis, Zakestidis, Pazolis

THE DECADES: 18-29, 48-54, 63-79, 75-103

LAURIO (Limniatis): Gray 9 (3/5 3-pointers), Flagg 19 (5/7 2-pointers, 3/5 3-pointers, 6 rebounds, 4 assists), Cole 5 (2/8 shots, 4 rebounds, 6 assists), Langevin 4 (2/7 shots, 4 rebounds), Remi 2, Karakostas, Apostolos Nikolaidis 1, Idi 8 (2 trebles, 5 assists), Zaras 14 (4/4 trebles), Sprintzios 3 (1), Geromichalos 10 (1), Filoxenidis

OLYMPIC (Bartzokas): Walkup (6 assists), Kanan 12 (4/6 threes, 3 assists), Vezenkov 18 (8/9 doubles, 2/3 shots, 7 rebounds, 4 assists), Papanikolaou 12 (2 threes, 5 rebounds , 3 assists), Schwarz 11 (5/6 twos, 1/6 shots, 5 rebounds), Lountzis 7 (1 threes, 3 rebounds, 4 assists), Larentzakis 3 (1), Papas 3 (1), Sloukas 12 ( 4/8 3-pointers, 8 assists), Boloboi 8 (7 rebounds, 3 assists), Peters 17 (3/4 2-pointers, 3/6 3-pointers, 2/ 2 shots)

Lavrio’s team stats: 14/34 2-pointers, 15/27 3-pointers, 2/5 shots, 28 rebounds (18 defensive – 10 offensive), 24 assists, 11 steals, 1 block, 21 fouls

Olympiacos team statistics: 22/30 2-pointers, 16/35 3-pointers, 11/18 shots, 37 rebounds (25 defensive – 12 offensive), 35 assists, 11 steals, 5 blocks, 11 fouls

The next games of the two teams: On Matchday 20, Lavrio plays in Karditsa (26/3, 17:00), while Olympiacos host PAOK (26/3, 19:15).