EuroLeague: Vezenkov Leads Olympiacos Past Monaco 91-70, Takes 1-0 Series Lead

PIRAEUS. Olympiacos opened its EuroLeague playoff series with authority, decisively defeating AS Monaco 91-70 in Game 1 of the quarterfinals. The Greek squad, powered by an outstanding Sasha Vezenkov, takes a 1-0 advantage and takes the first step toward the Final Four.

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The matchup began with a competitive Monaco, capable of keeping pace with the early rhythm and closing the first quarter ahead (19-20). The Principality team, led by Mike James, found offensive solutions in the opening minutes and attempted to slow down the momentum of the Piraeus arena.

However, the game changed in the second quarter. Olympiacos tightened its defense, dominated the boards, and began finding consistent advantages in transition and interior play. That's when Sasha Vezenkov appeared, once again decisive in the EuroLeague, to lead the home team's comeback and head into halftime with a 45-36 advantage.

After the break, Georgios Bartzokas' squad elevated its level even further. Despite suffering a head injury that forced him to briefly leave for the locker room, Vezenkov finished as the game's leading figure with 20 points. His impact set the tone for an Olympiacos team that was far superior on both ends of the floor.

Nikola Milutinov also shined, dominant near the basket with 13 points and 10 rebounds, while Corey Joseph and Evan Fournier contributed the same scoring output to extend the lead. Tyler Dorsey closed out the group of double-digit scorers with 11 points, confirming the depth of the Greek leaders' roster.

On the visiting side, Mike James posted 17 points and 7 assists, with Alpha Diallo adding 15 points and 7 rebounds. Jaron Blossomgame chipped in 10 points, but Monaco gradually lost energy as the minutes wore on and couldn't sustain the physical pace set by Olympiacos.

The fourth quarter served to confirm the home team's superiority. Olympiacos controlled the scoreboard without any drama and closed out a dominant victory in these EuroLeague playoffs, making clear its goal of returning to the Final Four.

Game 2 of the series will be played this Thursday, again in Piraeus, where Olympiacos will look to go up 2-0 before traveling to Monaco, while the Monegasque squad needs to respond to avoid being backed into a corner.