Evan Fournier’s clutch 3-pointer forces overtime in Dubai thriller
Evan Fournier vs Dubai 3 Fev 2026 Crédit photo : Olympiacos BC
Evan Fournier has never shied away from the big moment. The French guard has delivered game-winners throughout his career, including during his NBA tenure, and possesses that clutch gene that separates good players from great ones. On Friday night at Dubai’s Coca-Cola Arena, Fournier once again proved his mettle in the most pressure-packed situation imaginable.
A buzzer-beater for the ages
Trailing 95-92 with just seconds remaining in regulation, Olympiakos appeared destined for defeat. Their impressive nine-game winning streak across all competitions seemed about to come to an end. But after a timeout, coach Georgios Bartzokas and Thomas Walkup orchestrated the perfect final possession, putting their trust in their 1.98m French guard.
With three seconds left, Fournier caught the inbound and stayed composed. He sold the pump fake, sent the defender past him, then rose into a clean 45-degree three. The shot was pure. Buzzer. Tie game at 95. The Greek bench spilled onto the floor as overtime suddenly became unavoidable.
The clutch shot was even more impressive considering Dubai’s defense had focused primarily on containing Sasha Vezenkov, who finished with 12 points. Bartzokas and Walkup’s decision to trust Fournier in the crucial moment paid dividends, at least temporarily.
Overtime heartbreak ends winning streak
For Olympiacos, the shot only bought time. Once overtime settled in, the momentum disappeared. Dubai controlled the extra period from the opening possession, outscoring the Greeks 13–3 as its North American trio took over and closed the game.
Mfiondu Kabengele dominated with 21 points and 14 rebounds, while Dwayne Bacon added 21 points and McKinley Wright IV contributed 18 points with 7 assists. Fournier, who had been so clutch in regulation, struggled in overtime, missing all three of his attempts during the extra period.
The French guard finished with 16 points on 6-of-16 shooting, including 3-of-9 from 3-points, along with 2 rebounds, 5 assists, and 1 steal in 23 minutes. He was Olympiakos’ second-leading scorer behind Tyler Dorsey‘s 18 points.
Evan Fournier for the tie, in Dubai. #euroleague pic.twitter.com/Fwp88W10S4
— austin (@gayforgamble) February 3, 2026
The loss stung for Olympiacos, which entered the night as one of the EuroLeague’s most in-form teams and fell to an opponent from the bottom half of the table. The frustration was visible after the horn, with coach Georgios Bartzokas seen exchanging words with fans in the stands. Even so, Olympiacos remains third in the standings behind Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul and Maccabi Tel Aviv, while Dubai’s win pushed it up to 12th.
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