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nov 06 2026Ibon Navarro secured one of the most significant victories of his first year at Crvena Zvezda with a win in Piraeus against the reigning European champions. The Basque coach's team held Olympiacos to just 22 points in the first half with suffocating defense. Though the game tightened in the final quarter, the Serbs closed it out and now match Giorgos Bartzokas's team at 7-3.
A first half to forget in Piraeus
Vezenkov kept Olympiacos afloat in the opening minutes while Crvena Zvezda found its offensive reference in Jordan Nwora. The Nigerian wing led a 10-0 run that gave the visitors a double-digit advantage, and the first quarter ended 11-19.
The second quarter was even worse for the hosts. Olympiacos continued to struggle from three-point range and Crvena Zvezda, despite turning the ball over frequently, pulled away with a 2-16 stretch in the final minutes before halftime (22-40). Twenty-two points in twenty minutes—one of the worst first halves in the club's EuroLeague history.
Fournier breaks the drought and Vezenkov takes over
The start of the third quarter pushed the Serbian lead to its peak at 22 points (24-46). Then Evan Fournier appeared. His three-pointer, Olympiacos's second make after 21 attempts, sparked a run that brought the Greeks within striking distance at 41-51 by the end of the third quarter.
In the fourth quarter, Vezenkov scored five straight points and Fournier hit a three to make it 55-57 with ninety seconds remaining. Crvena Zvezda, which had struggled to score, answered with a basket from Kristian Koloko and a three-pointer from Chris Jones with 40 seconds left that sealed the game.
Vezenkov finished with 27 points and 6 rebounds, and he and Fournier combined for 39 of their team's 57 points. For Crvena Zvezda, Nwora posted a double-double of 18 points and 13 rebounds, and the victory came despite Navarro's team committing 21 turnovers. Their next challenge carries a Spanish accent: a visit to Real Madrid in Matchday 11.
