Olympiakos throws away chance for another win
Giorgos Printezis turned from hero to villain for Olympiakos, allowing Siena to level the series for the Euroleague quarterfinals at 1-1 through an 81-80 home win on Friday night.
Printezis was instrumental to the Reds? win on Wednesday, again at Siena, and played a great match in Game 2 of the series as well, but his turnover three seconds from time condemned Olympiakos to a loss at the Palaestra Arena.
The great comeback of Olympiakos in the fourth period may have gone to waste, but the Reds have now shown in the series that they are the better of the two teams and should score two wins in Piraeus to clinch the ticket for the Final Four in Istanbul.
Olympiakos started well and was the better side in the first seven minutes, but the hosts raised their game in attack and ended the first half with a 13-point lead (48-35).
With the Greek attack frustrated in the third period after a mediocre game by Vassilis Spanoulis, the Italians stretched their lead to 14 points 10 minutes before the end (67-53).
The fourth period was a completely different game, as the Reds came back and put so much pressure on Siena that the hosts committed one error after another, feeling they would suffer the same fate as on Wednesday.
With five seconds left, Siena wasted two free throws, Printezis got the rebound, but failed to pass the ball as he should have done for Olympiakos to score, allowing Bo McCalebb to steal it and give Siena a lifeline with this victory.
Printezis was once again the top scorer for the Reds with 15 points, while Acie Law and Pero Antic notched up 11 each.
The best-of-five series now comes to Greece with Game 3 scheduled on Wednesday, March 28 in Piraeus. Game 4 will follow two days later.
