Olympiacos 2008-09 Euroleague Season Review
Olympiacos Bring In Experienced Veterans To Return To Final Four
Apr 5, 2009
After falling just short of the Euroleague Final Four the last three seasons, Olympiacos went out and got some veteran players with big-game experience and by reaching the Berlin spectacle is just two games short of finally grabbing its second title following the crown in 1997.
First Final Four Since 1999
The Reds are back in the Final Four for the first time since 1999, when the event was held in another of Germany's largest cities Munich. And Olympiacos hopes Germany is good to the Greek team.
Quarters End Of Road Past Three Seasons
Olympiacos lost in the 2006 quarterfinals against Maccabi Tel Aviv. A year later, the Reds were stopped by Tau Ceramica. And last season, Olympiacos won the playoffs opener but was downed by CSKA Moscow.
Olympiacos Acquire Experience Winners
But Olympiacos management went out and acquired players who knew what it took to make that next step and even win the event. Veteran Theo Papaloukas brought the experience of two titles and six straight Final Fours with CSKA Moscow back to his former club. Nikola Vujcic and Yotam Halperin both arrived from Maccabi Tel Aviv and both played in four Final Four and grabbed two championships. In addition, Josh Childress had big game experience as well.
Up And Down Regular Season
Head coach Panagiotis Giannakis’s team started the Regular Season in strong fashion, winning five of its first six games in soaring atop Group A. But the Reds struggled down the stretch in dropping three of its last four and taking second place in the group behind Unicaja with a 6-4 record.
Josh Childress Hernia
The Greek club suffered its only major injury of the competition at the end of the Regular Season as Childress needed hernia surgery and missed the first four games of the Top 16. To help with the loss, Olympiacos acquired veteran guard Jannero Pargo.
Olympiacos Win Five Straight In Top 16
But that could not stop the Reds from dropping their Top 16 opener at AJ Milano. Vujcic however stepped up his game in leading Olympiacos to five straight wins. Vujcic scored 20 points or more in three straight games and a team-high 17 points in the final Top 16 game at Tau Ceramica, securing first place in the Group E and home-court advantage for the Quarterfinal Playoffs.
3-1 Series Victory Over Real In Quarters
In the quarterfinals against Real Madrid, Giannakis saw a number of players step up their games in separate times to guide Olympiacos to a 3-1 series win and a spot in the Final Four. Papaloukas had 13 points and 13 assists as Olympiacos opened at home with a victory. Lynn Greer poured in 21 in a Game 2 win. Only one player scored in double figures in Olympiacos Game 3 loss but Ioannis Bourousis scored 25 points in the decisive victory.
Big Names Paid Off
The big-name additions have already paid dividends for Olympiacos, finally getting over that final hurdle to reach the Final Four. And now that Papaloukas, Vujcic and company are there, they figure they may as well finish the job.
