Olympiacos hold off Monaco's comeback in a crucial Game 3 win / News - Basketnews.com

Credit: Alfonso Cannavacciuolo/Euroleague Basketball via Getty Images Credit Alfonso Cannavacciuolo/Euroleague Basketball via Getty Images

In the first EuroLeague Playoff game ever played in Monaco,AS Monacosuffered a defeat against Greek sideOlympiacos Piraeusin an exciting ending with the final score of87-83(19-23, 26-18, 26-17,16-25).Olympiacos took a 2-1 series lead over Monaco.

Player of the Game EFF 24 Aleksandr Vezenkov Points 17 Accuracy 4-9 Rebounds 9 Assists 2

Though, the success for visitors was temporary, as Monaco responded at the start of the fourth quarter. Inspired by Will Thomas and Dwyane Bacon‘s buckets, they initiated 11-0 run and cut the deficit to 4 (69-73) with 5:53 to go.

Sloukas answered with 4 points in a row, but Bacon added 5 points from his own, Paris Lee drained a triple and the game became tied (77-77) with 2:41 remaining.

Another Lee 3-pointer gave hosts the narrow lead (80-79), but Walkup answered with couple of free throws (81-80) with 1:16 left.

After successful defensive stop from Olympiacos, Sasha Vezenkov fouled out Mike James and made two free throws to put Olympiacos up by 3 with 35 seconds to go. Leo Westerman‘s shot was off the mark and Walkup responded with pair of free throws again (85-80).

Bacon hit desperate 3-pointer (83-85) with 6 seconds to go, but Sloukas didn‘t miss from the free throw line and Oly escape with a cruicial away win.

Sasha Vezenkov was the most efficient player for Olympiacos, finishing with 17 points (2/4 2PT, 2/5 3PT, 7/8 FT), 9 rebounds and 24 PIR.

Dwayne Bacon was the leading scorer for Monaco, posting 23 points (4/9 2PT, 5/9 3PT, 0/2 FT).

The first half of the game went back and forth, neither team gaining a commanding lead. After 7 consecutive Kostas Sloukas points before a halftime, Olympiacos were up by 4 (45-41). Sloukas scored 11 points for Oly, while Mike James had 13 points for Monaco alone.

After a 16-2 run at the start of the third period, the Oly ran away from their opponents and created a solid double-digit lead (67-53). The Greeks managed to maintain such a lead comming into the final quarter (71-58).

Olympiacos: Kostas Sloukas 21 (4 REB, 21 PIR), Sasha Vezenkov 17 (9 REB), Thomas Walkup 13 (6 AST, 5 REB, 21 PIR), Tyler Dorsey 11, Moustapha Fall 9 (5 REB).

Monaco: Dwayne Bacon 23, Will Thomas 15 (8 REB), Mike James 13 (8 AST, 5 REB), Donta Hall 12 (4 REB).

Highlights

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