Paris Basketball experienced a setback against Olympiakos, losing 73-90 in a Euroleague match at the Adidas Arena. Despite a previous win against the same team, Olympiakos, led by Sasha Vezenkov’s 21 points, established dominance early on. Paris struggled to maintain consistency, with Evan Fournier contributing 16 points. Although Paris briefly closed the gap after halftime, they couldn’t overcome their shooting difficulties, particularly from three-point range, leaving them to rethink their strategy before facing Bologna.
Paris Basketball Faces Olympiakos Setback
In a highly anticipated Euroleague clash at the Adidas Arena, Paris Basketball fell short against Olympiakos with a score of 73-90. Despite their impressive victory earlier in December at the Stade de la Paix et de l’Amitié (90-96), this match proved to be a different story. Led by the talented Sasha Vezenkov, who scored 21 points, Olympiakos dominated the game, further solidifying their standing at the top of the league with 18 wins and 7 losses. Paris saw contributions from Olympic silver medalist Evan Fournier, who netted 16 points, and Mous Fall, who added 7 points for the Piraeus team.
Olympiakos’ Dominance and Paris’ Struggles
The initial quarter was a showcase of Olympiakos’ strength, as they established a commanding lead, with Vezenkov contributing significantly. He scored 12 of his team’s first 15 points, ending the quarter with 17. Despite a glimmer of hope from Paris’ Yak’ hitting a three-pointer, the team struggled to find their rhythm and ended the first quarter trailing 15-30. As the second quarter progressed, Paris briefly rallied, narrowing the gap to 10 points thanks to a shot from Jantunen, but ultimately fell behind again, finishing the half at 31-48.
After the halftime break, Paris showed signs of life, closing the gap to just 7 points at one point. However, every time they gained momentum, Olympiakos had an answer, with crucial baskets from both Vezenkov and Fournier. Even as the defense tightened and Paris managed to create some stops, their shooting woes continued, particularly from beyond the arc, where they shot just 9 for 37. The final quarter saw a few promising exchanges, but in the end, the Greek team sealed their victory and left Paris with much to ponder ahead of their upcoming match in Bologna on Friday.