By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
In his best performance with Olympiacos‘ jersey, Jamel McLean scored a season-high 22 points (also game-high), grabbed 7 rebounds and posted 25 PIR against former team Olimpia Milano, leading the Reds to an 86 – 85 victory on the road.
The American forward/center also banked his team’s last five points, including the go-ahead 3-point play when he scored the basket and won the foul with his team down 85 – 83 and 46 seconds remaining.
Curtis Jerrells (7 points) had an opportunity to hit the game-winner for the Italian squad but missed the contested 3-pointer at the buzzer with Kostas Papanikolaou (11 points) playing excellent defense following a 0/2 from the line. Thus Milano dropped to a 3 – 6 record while their opponents climbed to 7 – 2 to remain first in the EuroLeague standings.
The “Red Shoes” had managed to come back from a 10-point deficit, 53 – 63 near the end of the third period, thanks to Arturas Gudaitis’ double-double (a career-high 19 points plus 10 rebounds for 28 PIR). The game remained a thriller until the very end and even though Milano went up, first with Jordan Theodore (20 points, 4 assists) for the 83-81 and then Gudaitis that made it 85 – 83, Olympiacos had the final say.
Although Milano had begun the game better, taking a 21 – 17 advantage by the end of the first quarter, the visiting squad fought back, remedying for allowing their opponents 10 offensive rebounds at halftime by efficient perimeter shooting courtesy of Brian Roberts (18 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists) and Janis Strelnieks (14 points, all in the first half, plus 5 assists) to lead 42 – 46 at the break.
Oly improved its board control in the third thus building a 10-point lead, but the match was destined to have a dramatic finale, one that had McLean’s signature all over it.