Olympiacos Piraeus sent a strong message in the EuroLeague title race on Thursday, January 30, defeating FC Barcelona 87-75 at a sold-out Peace and Friendship Stadium.
The victory lifted the Greek powerhouse to 16-8 and extended its surge to eight wins in the last nine games, keeping pressure on league leader Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul.
The contest swung decisively in the fourth quarter, when Tyrique Jones, making just his third appearance for Olympiacos, delivered a dominant two-way stretch off the bench.
The hosts set the tone early behind Sasha Vezenkov, who scored 12 of his 20 points in the opening quarter as Olympiacos raced to a 27-13 lead.
A Shaquielle McKissic transition dunk stretched the margin to 42-26, but Barcelona responded by tightening its defense late in the half.
The visitors held Olympiacos scoreless for the final three minutes before halftime and closed the gap to 46-37 at the break.
Defense controlled the third quarter, with Barcelona holding the Reds to just 13 points while Kevin Punter scored nine in the period.
That run allowed the Spanish side to trim the deficit to 64-59 heading into the final quarter, shifting momentum away from the home crowd.
Olympiacos answered immediately, sparked by Jones’ energy on both ends of the floor.
The Reds opened the fourth with a 15-2 run, locking down defensively and converting turnovers into transition baskets.
Jones scored 10 of his 16 points in the final period and added five rebounds, two steals, a block, and an assist during the decisive stretch.
Olympiacos outscored Barcelona 28-11 in the fourth quarter and finished the night with 21 points off 20 turnovers.
The hosts also controlled the glass when it mattered most, outrebounding Barcelona 16-8 in the final frame.
Vezenkov finished with 20 points and 11 rebounds, while Tyler Dorsey added 17 points and Tyson Ward contributed eight points and a team-high five assists.
Barcelona committed 20 turnovers and struggled to maintain offensive flow late despite balanced scoring from Kevin Punter and Will Clyburn, who each finished with 14 points.
The loss dropped the Catalan club to 16-9, though it remains firmly in the top six of the standings.
Olympiacos now heads to face Dubai Basketball next Tuesday, while Barcelona returns home to host Fenerbahce in a high-stakes matchup the same night.
