If something stood out in Game 5 of the Euroleague playoffs between Olympiacos and Barcelona, it was the pervasive tension on both sides and their inexhaustible passion for distinction.

As the clock winds down, the final score of 59-63 sends Georgios Bartzokas’s team to the Final Four in Berlin. Players and staff cannot contain their joy for a huge success that came with much effort in a demanding season. To be precise, “for another huge success,” with the Greek coach securing one of the four tickets to the top four teams in Europe this year. All with different lineups, and that’s significant.

What remained the same this year was the presence of the fans, who supported both during the season in a mostly full SEF, as well as in the morning upon the return of the victors from Barcelona.

In the final battle for qualification, the one-on-one matchups were intense, and accuracy was lacking. Nevertheless, Olympiacos managed to stay close in terms of the score, capitalizing on the low-scoring game to make the breakthrough needed to reach the final phase. The gap that had been created by the midpoint of the third period was immediately covered, with the visitors shutting down Barcelona at 38 points and starting the counterattack, eventually taking the lead for the first time in the fourth period.

The spark came from Thomas Walkup with a three-pointer, which credited him with his only points in the match. The next significant three-pointer was from the captain, Kostas Papanikolaou, who was absent for much of the series’ early games, followed by another one from Shaquielle McKissic for the first lead (47-49, 5:00 before the end). The players’ reaction and the shots that at some point “had” to go in, broke through Barcelona’s tight defenses, which were now rushed and overwhelmed by anxiety.

The qualification for the 2022 Final Four

The aforementioned trio, plus Nikola Milutinov who was exceptional but…exempted as he was then playing for CSKA Moscow, was decisive for the qualification. Just like they were in the 2022 Belgrade Final Four, in a year when Olympiacos finished second in the regular season (28 games, 19 wins, 9 losses). With Sasha Vezenkov and Kostas Sloukas also available, “Coach B” saw his team eliminate Monaco in a thrilling fifth game, with a 3-2 win advancing them to the Final Four. The others who were in the roster then and remain today are Georgios Printezis, Georgios Larantzakis, Mustapha Fall, and Michalis Lountzis.

Belgrade reserved a stab for the heart of the “red-and-whites,” with Vasilije Micic hitting a three-pointer from the top, in front of the outstretched arm of Vezenkov, to set the final score at 74-77. Stung by the defeat in the semifinal, Olympiacos then lost to Barcelona, finishing fourth.

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The qualification for the 2023 Final 4

In a roster that closely resembles this season’s, with Sasa and Sloukas in their last season at SEF, Olympiacos finishes first in the regular season (34 games, 24 wins, 10 losses), being the best team in the regular season and in practice. However, it once again worries its fans in the playoffs. That was when the “Kalimera, kalispera, kalinichta” went viral, with Sloukas hurting his former team and responding with a three-pointer at the buzzer to answer break for break (1-2).

Fenerbahçe wins the next game, but at Faliro, there was a rout from the third period onwards. The score of the series was again 3-2.

A Final 4 on its own means nothing if you don’t clinch the trophy in a season where you either have the best roster and/or play the best basketball. However, the three consecutive appearances show longevity and that what they say about “putting in the work” holds true.

Even more so when the budget is almost on par with that of the poor Villeurbanne (Olympiacos at 22 million euros in 9th place out of 18 teams, one less than the French) and smaller than the four teams traveling to Germany (Real Madrid at 42 million euros, Panathinaikos at 35, Fenerbahçe at 25).

Not that they’d have been counted out for this year, but in previous years, Olympiacos was going as one of the favorites for the trophy. In the 2024 Final 4, they’re not high in the betting odds, but that doesn’t matter with the current format and the single games. What matters is that they’re there, going strong, and perhaps being this season’s relative outsider might give them another advantage on the court. The only thing certain is that they will…keep fighting.