Virtus-Olympiacos is decided at the buzzer: Bartzokas doesn’t hide his irritation

Virtus Bologna shook off its loss in the Euroderby against Olimpia Milano by narrowly defeating the defending champions Olympiacos, with the final score of 96-94 coming thanks to Carr’s three-pointer that went in right at the final buzzer. Speaking after the game, the coach of the club based at the Piero, Georgios Bartzokas, made no secret of his frustration, particularly regarding the rebounding numbers and a costly turnover by Fournier at the most critical moment of the match.

“Of course, we have to congratulate Virtus, who fought for every possession right up until the buzzer,” the Greek coach began. “However, we compromised the game in our own half, giving up too many rebounds—especially in the first half—and starting with the wrong attitude. Fournier’s turnover was crucial: in the EuroLeague, every detail makes a difference, and these mistakes can weigh very heavily. Our victories must stem from solid defense; tonight, that didn’t go well.”

Bartzokas then took his players to task, reminding them that last season’s EuroLeague success is in the past: “Last season we achieved important results, but that isn’t enough for us. I expect the players to always maintain high motivation, both in games and during practices. The club continues to invest to stay at the top, and we must prove every day that we’re up to these ambitions.”

Thursday night’s win marks Virtus Bologna’s first victory of this European season; in their first two games—both on the road—they had lost to Fenerbahçe (78–68) and Olimpia Milano (87–85). Against Olympiacos, in addition to Carr—who scored 22 points, dished out 10 assists, and hit the game-winning three-pointer—Diarra stood out with 18 points and 14 rebounds, Alston with 17 points, and Moore with 12 points.