Spanoulis strikes late as Olympiacos outlasts Efes

Olympiacos Piraeus claimed a hard-fought 58-61 victory in a gruelling defensive battle with Anadolu Efes Istanbul at Sinan Erdem Dome to keep the top spot in the standings with an 11-3 record. It was closely contested throughout and although the Reds led most of the way Efes battled back to lead in the final quarter, but Vassilis Spanoulis struck a game-winning triple with 61 seconds remaining. Olympiacos was led by Spanoulis’s 12 points and 4 assists, while Hollis Thompson added 11 points and 5 boards. Jamel McLean made a strong all-round contribution with 9 points, 7 rebounds and 3 assists. Krunoslav Simon led the game in scoring with 17 points, followed by 16 points from Errick McCollum. Derrick Brown added 11 points in defeat for Efes, which stays in last place at 3-11.

Vladimir Stimac scored the game’s first 2 baskets but Olympiacos responded to go ahead with a three-pointer from Kyle Wiltjers. Spanoulis then hit a triple and gunned an assist to Wiltjer, and after a long-range strike from Brian Roberts and a Hollis Thompson lay-up it was 9-17 at the end of the first quarter. Thompson started the second period with a triple, but Efes fought back as Bryant Dunston scored inside and Brown netted a triple, before back-to-back baskets from Josh Adams made it 22-24. Olympiacos pulled away again with a 2-9 run as Ioannis Papapetrou scored a triple and McLean converted twice from close range, making it 25-33 at half-time.

Efes started the second half with a pair of baskets from McCollum, before Spanoulis and Brown traded jumpers for 31-35. Thompson sent Olympiacos further ahead but McCollum responded with 5 consecutive points and it was a one-point game. Spanoulis steadied Olympiacos with a triple, but Simon responded from downtown. Thompson hit a turnaround jumper and Georgios Bogris floated in his first basket of the season, giving the visitors a 39-45 lead after three quarters. Simon started the fourth from mid-range before Bogris netted again, but Simon netted a triple and McCollum scored a jumper and foul shots to give Efes the lead, 48-47. Brown and Simon converted big dunks to protect the lead, and Stimac’s jump hook made it 54-50. Free throws brought Olympiacos closer, and Papapetrou netted a triple for his team’s first field goal in nearly 8 minutes for 54-56. Simon tied it from the foul line, but Spanoulis netted a trademark triple with 61 seconds remaining. Free throws were traded before Efes tried to force overtime, but McCollum’s triple wouldn’t fall and the leaders held on.