By Eurohoops Team/ info@eurohoops.net
Isaiah Canaan was the star of Olympiacos in Thessaloniki.
Knocking in seven out of ten from beyond the arc, he pushed the Reds to the win, 81-72, against Aris Midea in Nick Galis Hall on Sunday.
The Murray State product recorded a game-high 25 points to go with four rebounds and one steal. He lasted nearly 33 minutes in the opening round of Greece’s Basket League Regular Season. Alec Peters and Nikola Milutinov, packing 15 and 14 points, provided additional necessary boosts in a demanding challenge for Olympiacos.
Thomas Walkup was a later entry to the double-digit scoring club upping his total to ten points from the free-throw line with 16 seconds on the clock. He also dished out a game-high seven assists. Ignas Brazdeikis, Moustapha Fall, and Shaquielle McKissic were ruled out.
“This was not basketball,” head coach Giorgos Bartzokas reacted to the level of physicality. Nigel Williams-Goss and Luke Sikma both picked up injuries. Switching from the domestic league to Round 2 of the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Regular Season, the early exits make them questionable to play against FC Barcelona in SEF on Friday.
Vassilis Toliopoulos, team captain and former combo guard of Olympiacos, registered a team-high 16 points in the losing effort. Roberts Blumbergs produced 14 points and Lefteris Bochoridis had 12 points.
Basket League Round 1
Kolossos H Hotels – Peristeri bwin 104-93 OT (80-80)
AEK – Lavrio Megabolt 93-98
PAOK mateco – Promitheas 80-95
Aris Midea – Olympiacos 72-81
Apollon Carna – Karditsa Iaponiki (9/10)
Panathinaikos – Marousi (9/10)