EuroLeague: Olympiacos Secures Home-Court Advantage Over Hapoel Tel Aviv in Sofia (85-89)

SOFIA — Olympiacos defeated Hapoel Tel Aviv 85-89 in EuroLeague action in an intense matchup played in Bulgaria's capital, securing home-court advantage for the EuroLeague playoffs. Tyler Dorsey led Olympiacos offensively with 23 points, while Sasha Vezenkov proved crucial after halftime. The game also marked the return of Moustapha Fall to action following a lengthy absence.

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The game began with a strong start from Hapoel Tel Aviv, which set the pace from the opening tip and built a 14-2 run that forced Olympiacos to respond quickly. The Israeli squad found advantages in transition and showed excellent offensive efficiency in the opening minutes.

Olympiacos' response came swiftly. The Piraeus team countered with a 16-2 run, regaining control of the game and evening the score. From that point on, the matchup became a constant exchange of baskets, with both teams trading blows on offense.

During that stretch, Tyler Dorsey began to make a difference with his scoring ability, while Alec Peters contributed 11 points and Cory Joseph added 10, providing depth to Olympiacos' attack. For Hapoel Tel Aviv, the offensive load was carried by Antonio Blakeney, the team's leading scorer with 16 points, and Elijah Bryant, who added 15.

The game remained tight throughout the first half, with Hapoel Tel Aviv leading 51-48 at the break, reflecting an open and offensive contest between both teams in this EuroLeague matchday.

The script changed after halftime. Sasha Vezenkov awakened offensively and scored 10 of his points in the third quarter, allowing Olympiacos to take the lead on the scoreboard. The Bulgarian power forward was key to shifting the momentum of the game, while Dorsey continued to create danger both scoring and facilitating.

Hapoel Tel Aviv refused to go away and managed to stay competitive until the final minutes. Blakeney and Bryant sustained the Israeli team's offense, which entered the decisive stretch with real chances to win.

However, down the stretch Olympiacos showed greater composure in key moments. Important offensive rebounds and accuracy from the free-throw line allowed the Greek team to maintain its advantage and close out the 85-89 victory.

The game also marked the return of Moustapha Fall, who played for Olympiacos for the first time in 307 days, contributing three assists and one block in his minutes on the court.

With this win, Olympiacos completes a perfect record against Hapoel Tel Aviv this season in the EuroLeague and secures home-court advantage in the EuroLeague playoffs, solidifying their excellent form in the final stretch of the regular season.

For their part, Hapoel Tel Aviv delivered a competitive performance and came down to the wire with a chance to win, but could not overcome one of the competition's most solid teams.