“Olympiacos” ended R. Jokubaitis’ and “Barcelona’s” campaign in the Euroleague

In the Euroleague, all participants of the final four have become clear.

The last ticket to Berlin was taken by the visiting Olympiacos team from Piraeus 63:59 (9:12, 16:15, 15:13, 23:19) broke Barcelona “Barcelona” with Roku Jokubaičius.

The Greek giants won the series 3:2. In the semi-finals, Real Madrid will be waiting for them, the opponents with whom OLY played in the final last year.

Olympiacos became the second team in EuroLeague history, and the second on the same night, to enter the Final Four without home advantage after a five-match streak.

Ignas Brazdeikis was not registered for the match.

R. Jokubaitis scored 2 points (1/2 doubles, 0/1 triples), rebounded the ball, completed 2 passes, collected 3 utility points in 7 minutes.

The match started very uneventfully, and at half-time both teams scored only two points each. Nicolas Laprovittola soon scored twice from long range (8:2), and Kostas Papanikolaou ended OLY’s lack of points – 5:8. After a scoreless first half, the home team led 12:9.

The Catalans gradually started to move away (18:9), although with a couple of well-aimed shots, Olympiacos reduced the difference to 13:18. Rokas Jokubaitis also scored the first points, but after Nikolas Milutinova’s throw, the teams were again separated by only 4 points – 21:25. Moses Wright cut the deficit even further and OLY trailed 25-27 after two quarters.

Isaiah Canaan reduced the difference to a minimum (28:29), but Jan Vesely kept responding to the guests’ attacks. Little by little, the Catalans tried to move away again and led 38:30 after Alex Abrines’ three-pointer, but Thomas Walkup and Filip Petruševas started their work – 36:38. Kostas Papanikolaou tied the score (40:40) with a minute left, so the third quarter ended.

The fourth quarter was even, until N. Laprovittola started to increase the difference – 47:42. True, OLY quickly organized a 7-0 run, after which Shaquille McKissic made the score 49-47. With 4 minutes left, A. Abrines equalized the result (49:49), but Sh. McKissic continued his good run – 54:49. Another three-pointer was scored by K. Papanikolaou (57:49), although A. Abrines started to reduce the deficit – 50:57. There were only 2 minutes left, but the Catalans continued to save themselves: Nigel Williams-Goss was fouled in the attack, J. Vesely loaded the ball, and A. Abrines scored two more points – 54:57.

Th. Walkup missed from a distance, N. Laprovittola made a mistake, and N. Milutinov scored the key points – 59:54. With 17 seconds left, A. Abrines softened the score (56:59), the Catalans had to foul and J. Parker did it. I.Canaanas realized the penalty (61:56), and when throwing the ball, the Catalans passed it to the opponents. This is how OLY finally claimed the victory.

Barcelona: Nicolas Laprovittola 17 (2/7 3-pointers, 7 rebounds, 4 assists), Alex Abrines 13, Willy Hernangomez 9, Ricky Rubio and Jan Vesely 6 each.

Olympiacos: Shaquille McKissic 12, Kostas Papanikolaou 11, Nikola Milutinov 10 (10 rpg, 26 nb), Nigel Williams-Goss 8 (6 fb).

“Long break”: the work of Lithuanian agents, Lithuanians raising the value of LKL, LKF’s ability to “buy” a high-level player, the longevity of basketball players, leaking information from clubs and the possibilities of 3×3 national teams