Olympiacos and Monaco open the Final Four with different status
Those from Piraeus, three times European champions, are measured against a rookie with airs
MADRID, 18 May. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The match between Olympiacos and AS Monaco will open this Friday (5:00 p.m.) the Final Four of the Euroleague, on the pitch of the Zalgirio Arena in Kaunas (Lithuania) and with the Greeks in search of their ninth final for the title of continental champion, against a rookie adversary in these fights.
While Olympiacos wants to win what would be their fourth European Cup, the Monegasque team dreams of signing at the top of the ‘Old Continent’ a growing trajectory in recent years. With a Eurocup title (2020/21) and a runner-up in the Basketball Champions League (2017/18), those from the Principality are no longer a surprise.
In fact, these same two teams met last year in the Euroleague quarterfinals, with those from Piraeus rushing until the fifth game to win a tough tie. It was little noticed that it was Monaco’s debut season in Europe’s top competition, and even this year it has raised the bar.
In their two direct confrontations during the regular season, the Monte Carlo team has prevailed both times. On October 27, for matchday 5, Sasa Obradovic’s pupils won 76-81 at the Pabellón de la Paz y la Amistad. And for the 18th day, the triumph again smiled at the Monegasques by 64-60.
On their way to meet again in the first semi-final in Kaunas, Olympiacos left Fenerbahçe by the wayside. Their 84-72 victory in Game 5, where point guard Kostas Sloukas scored 22 points and broke the EuroLeague record for assists, put Georgios Bartzokas’s charges in this position.
LOYD AND JAMES TO LAUNCH THE ROOKIE
For their part, Monaco qualified for this home run for the title after beating Maccabi Tel Aviv 97-86 also in the fifth game. Determining were the 21 points of the American guard Jordan Loyd, Mike James’ usual squire in a balanced squad and capable of raising his ceiling even more in this competition.
Mike James himself stated this Thursday that he does not see “a favourite”. “To be honest, in a Final Four I don’t really think there is a favourite. I think just because of the format and how it’s set up, you have to go out to the game to play. Everyone is more or less on an even scale of play,” he said. .
In the ranks of Olympiacos, the spotlight will be mainly on the Bulgarian power forward Sasha Vezenkov, by virtue of having been chosen as MVP of the regular season. Not surprisingly, he has also been the top scorer in this Euroleague, averaging 17.2 points per game and sporting an average rating of more than 21 credits.
DATASHEET.
–EQUIPMENT.
OLYMPICS: Sloukas, Canaan, Papanikolaou, Vezenkov and Fall –possible starting quintet–; Lountzis, Popes, Tsamis, Larentzakis, Walkup, Bolomboy, Peters, Black and McKissic.
MONACO: James, Okobo, Blossomgame, Brown y Motiejunas –posible quinteto inicial–; Moneke, Pommier, Loyd, Couture, Diallo, Amini, Ouattara, Strazel y Hall.
–REFEREES: Ryzhyk, Latisevs and Panther.
–PAVILLION: Zalgirio Arena.