Olympiacos justified their role as favorites in the Greek Cup quarterfinals. Georgios Bartzokas’ team outplayed Peristeri convincingly by 87:68.
Peristeri had a better start to the game, managing to gain a four-point lead through solid defense. However, towards the end of the first quarter, the favorites showed better performance. Bartzokas’ team made a turnaround, taking a 21:16 lead.
Olympiacos continued their strong performance in the second quarter, extending their lead to 16 points with an 18:7 run. However, Peristeri showed improved play towards the end of the first half, narrowing the gap to eight points thanks to solid defense.
The second half was better opened by the favorite, extending their lead to 16 points. Peristeri attempted to respond and get back into the game. However, after the third quarter, the current Greek champion was leading 62:47.
In the last ten minutes, Olympiacos maintained their lead. The favorite easily controlled the game, constantly holding a double-digit advantage and comfortably securing their spot in the next round.
Kostas Papanikolaou led his team to win with 15 points, while Joe Ragland scored 14 points for the opposing team. Despite the triumph, the defending champion cannot be entirely satisfied, as Nigel Williams-Goss suffered an injury.
Olympiacos’ opponent in the semifinals will be Promitheas. They convincingly defeated Panionios by 88:48. The top scorer was Cameron Reynolds with 16 points, while Hunter Hale and Athanasios Bazinas also contributed significantly. In the losing team, Dimitris Kaklamanakis was the only player to reach double digits with 10 points.
In the other semifinal, Panathinaikos will face Aris. The semifinal games are scheduled for Saturday.