Olympiacos Come Back From 28 Down to Win

Olympiacos of Piraeus, the port city next to Athens, beat Valencia 102⁠–⁠97 in overtime in the EuroLeague on Tuesday, 13 October, after trailing by 28 points (EuroLeague box score; Eurohoops). Overtime is an extra five minutes played when the score is level at the end of normal time. Tip-off in Valencia was 9 p.m. CEST (3 p.m. ET) (EuroLeague).

For a half, the game looked settled. Valencia led 59⁠–⁠34 at half-time and 62⁠–⁠34 early in the third quarter, after a three-pointer by Armoni Brooks (EuroLeague play-by-play).

Olympiacos, the reigning EuroLeague champions, then began to chip away. They won the third quarter 25⁠–⁠12, cutting the gap to 12, at 71⁠–⁠59, going into the last quarter (EuroLeague box score).

They kept coming in the fourth. Olympiacos took their first lead of the night at 84⁠–⁠83, on a basket by Nikola Milutinov, according to the official play-by-play (EuroLeague play-by-play). They won the quarter 31⁠–⁠19.

The numbers show how complete the turnaround was. Olympiacos scored 56 points to Valencia's 31 across the third and fourth quarters, and from 62⁠–⁠34 down they outscored the home side 56⁠–⁠28 to reach the end of normal time level (EuroLeague box score; EuroLeague play-by-play). Valencia, who had scored 59 points in the first half, managed 31 in the second.

Valencia still had a last chance. T.J. Shorts tied the score at 90⁠–⁠90 with six seconds left in the fourth quarter, sending the game to overtime (EuroLeague play-by-play). Olympiacos won the extra period 12⁠–⁠7 (EuroLeague box score).

Eurohoops said the comeback equalled the biggest in EuroLeague history, set by Prokom of Poland against Montepaschi Siena in the 2012⁠–⁠13 season (Eurohoops).

Jean Montero, who left Valencia in the summer, led Olympiacos against his old club with 26 points, including 9 of 10 free throws (EuroLeague box score; Basketball Sphere). Evan Fournier added 23 points and Sasha Vezenkov 14 (EuroLeague box score). Nikola Mirotić led Valencia with 19 (EuroLeague box score; Basketball Sphere).

It was Valencia's first loss of the season, and it came at home. Both teams are now 4⁠–⁠1 after five rounds (Eurohoops; Piratas del Basket).

Panathinaikos of Athens, Olympiacos's city rivals, stayed unbeaten. They won 72⁠–⁠55 at Partizan in Belgrade to go 5⁠–⁠0 (EuroLeague box score; Basketball Sphere).

The night had extra weight for the Panathinaikos coach, Željko Obradović. It was his first game against Partizan since he left the club (EuroLeague; Basketball Sphere).

Panathinaikos have now won all five of their games, including a 92⁠–⁠74 home win over Fenerbahçe in the fourth round (EuroLeague). Partizan, playing at home, scored 55 points (EuroLeague box score).

The two Athens-area clubs now sit one game apart. Panathinaikos are 5⁠–⁠0 and Olympiacos 4⁠–⁠1, level with Valencia, after five rounds (EuroLeague; Eurohoops).