ESAKE Playoffs: Olympiacos Takes 2-1 Series Lead Over Panathinaikos in Dominant Game 3 Victory
Olympiacos Piraeus defeated Panathinaikos Athens 102-92 in Game 3 Photo Credit: Olympiacos BC
Olympiacos Piraeus moved one win away from the Esake championship title after a commanding 102-92 victory over Panathinaikos Athens in Game 3 of the Greek top division final. Played on June 8, 2026, at home in Piraeus, the game highlighted the Reds’ ability to spread the scoring load — a clear contrast to a Panathinaikos side that struggled to find consistent support for its American-led offense.
Fournier and Vezenkov Lead a Four-Man Scoring Assault
Evan Fournier was the primary engine for Olympiacos, finishing with 28 points and 8 assists in 37 minutes. The veteran French guard, long seasoned by his NBA career, controlled the game’s tempo and created opportunities for teammates throughout. Aleksandar Vezenkov was equally sharp, contributing 24 points in 35 minutes to give Olympiacos a devastating one-two punch from the perimeter.
Sasha Vezenkov (Olympiacos Piraeus) - Evan Fournier (Olympiacos Piraeus)Sasha Vezenkov Evan Fournier PTS 24 28 REB 3 3 AST 2 8 STL 2 1 BLK 0 0
Nikola Milutinov added 17 points and 6 rebounds in 28 minutes, providing a physical presence in the paint that Panathinaikos had no answer for. The American duo of Tyson Ward and Thomas Walkup played complementary roles, combining for 23 points, 8 assists, and 6 rebounds. Their ability to contribute without dominating possessions gave Olympiacos a depth and versatility that proved decisive.
Panathinaikos Lacked the Supporting Cast Around Grant
Panathinaikos leaned heavily on Jerian Grant, who led his team with 19 points and 5 assists in 33 minutes. The American guard was the clear focal point of the Greens’ offense, but the burden proved too heavy to carry alone. T.J. Shorts II provided a spark off the bench with 15 points in just 14 minutes, while Nigel Hayes-Davis contributed a steady 12 points and 6 rebounds over 36 minutes.
Olympiacos Piraeus 102 - 92 Panathinaikos Athens · Esake · 08/06/2026Game PTS REB AST Olympiacos Piraeus Thomas Walkup 11 2 4 Tyson Ward 12 4 4 Giannoulis Larentzakis 0 0 0 Sasha Vezenkov 24 3 2 Kostas Papanikolaou 0 0 0 Omiros Netzipoglou 0 0 0 Alec Peters 2 2 0 Nikola Milutinov 17 6 3 Cory Joseph 4 5 2 Tyrique Jones 4 2 0 Evan Fournier 28 3 8 Panathinaikos Athens Konstantinos Mitoglou 6 3 1 T.J. Shorts 15 1 2 Panagiotis Kalaitzakis 0 0 0 Kostas Sloukas 3 0 2 Nigel Hayes-Davis 12 6 1 Nikolaos Rogkavopoulos 3 1 0 Alexandros Samontourov 0 0 0 Jerian Grant 19 0 5 Kendrick Nunn 10 3 3 Mathias Lessort 11 1 4 Vassilis Toliopoulos 3 0 0 Juancho Hernangomez 10 2 0
Mathias Lessort and Kendrick Nunn each added 11 and 10 points respectively, but neither was able to consistently relieve the pressure on Grant. The contrast was stark: where Olympiacos had four players reaching double figures with clear roles, Panathinaikos’ rotation felt uneven and reactive.
The final score of 102-92 reflects a game that was competitive in stretches but ultimately controlled by Olympiacos. With a 2-1 series advantage, the Reds are now in the driver’s seat heading into Game 4. Panathinaikos will need to find a more balanced offensive formula if they hope to extend the series and keep their title hopes alive.
Comments (0)