The Palau Blaugrana witnessed a furious late charge as the host side erased a 14-point deficit against Olympiacos, forced overtime, but ultimately fell short in a 100-105 defeat in EuroLeague play.
Palau Blaugrana comeback falls short in extra period
Playing in front of Pep Guardiola, who watched from the stands, the Catalan side showed immense grit to claw back into the contest after trailing 60-74 in the third quarter. Justin Robinson, who forced the extra session with a three-pointer with just 1.8 seconds remaining in regulation, and Tyrese Martin both delivered standout performances for the home side. Despite distributing 26 assists and hauling in 20 offensive rebounds, the team lacked the decisive execution needed to overcome the reigning EuroLeague champions.
Gameday! 🏀🔴⚪🆚 @FCBbasket🕒 22:00 🇬🇷🏆 @euroleague / Game 2📌 Palau Blaugrana📺 Novasports Prime#OlympiacosBC #WeAreOlympiacos #TogetherWeFight pic.twitter.com/fAHpUik8bc
Olympiacos weather early storm behind Vezenkov and Fournier
The Greek powerhouse arrived in Barcelona without Tyler Dorsey, who had been dropped from the squad following critical public remarks. Even so, the visitors proved difficult to break down. Sasha Vezenkov punished early defensive lapses by scoring 11 points in the opening minutes, helping Olympiacos put up 30 points in the first period alone, though defensive breakdowns allowed the hosts to edge the quarter 30-26. The visitors shifted momentum sharply in the second frame, tightening their scoring to overturn the deficit and build a 47-57 lead by halftime.
Missed opportunities in the closing seconds seal the outcome
Intensity peaked in the final moments of regulation as a fierce run narrowed the gap to 88-90. With 25.5 seconds left on the clock, Evan Fournier committed a flagrant foul that presented a golden opportunity for the home side. However, Josh Nebo missed a subsequent free throw, and Kevin Punter failed to convert the ensuing field goal attempt. Although Vezenkov pushed Olympiacos ahead again with two free throws, Robinson’s dramatic triple sent the match into overtime. In the extra period, the veteran poise of the visiting squad took over to secure the victory.
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