Lithuania's love affair with basketball is inextricably linked with the fate of the nation, which first gained independence in modern times at the conclusion of the First World War in 1918. That coincided with the global spread of basketball from its American origins, and the first recorded official game in Lithuania took place just over a century ago, in April of 1922, resulting in the Lithuanian Physical Education Union gaining an 8-6 victory over Kaunas.

Lithuania's basketball love affair began 100 years ago

Lithuania's love affair with basketball is inextricably linked with the fate of the nation, which first gained independence in modern times at the conclusion of the First World War in 1918. That coincided with the global spread of basketball from its American origins, and the first recorded official game in Lithuania took place just over a century ago, in April of 1922, resulting in the Lithuanian Physical Education Union gaining an 8-6 victory over Kaunas.

The sport's popularity initially exploded among both men and women. A national tournament was organized and a rule book was published by legendary pilot Steponas Darius, who later died in an attempt to make a non-stop flight from New York to Kaunas. 

Referees classes were also organised in a similar desire to regulate the fledgling sport, with the first intake of officials including one of the country's most important female sport pioneers, Elena Kubiliunaite-Garbaciauskiene.

Lithuanian national team at EuroBasket 1937

Basketball's growth in Lithuania received another significant boost in 1934 with the opening of the Physical Culture Palace in Kaunas. The indoor hall at the expensively constructed complex, which now serves as the main campus for the Lithuanian Sports University, was mainly intended for tennis but was quickly also found to be ideal for basketball, and served as a catalyst for a rapid growth in the sport's popularity.

Lithuania in its modern form was still a young nation, and the country's long-serving President Antanas Smetona was conscious of the need to develop a national identity. With that in mind, a World Lithuanian Congress was organized in 1935, aimed at promoting and celebrating the country's culture with the active inclusion of ethnic Lithuanians from all over the world.

Significantly, that included a sizeable Lithuanian-American community that already numbered an estimated 275,000 people following mass emigration in the late 19th century. Many of those new arrivals had settled around Chicago, whose community decided to fund a team of athletes to take part in the congress in Kaunas. The traveling group included some genuine stars of the basketball world, notably Notre Dame standout Moose Krause (born Edward Kriauciunas), his brother Feliksas, and the cerebral lawyer and baskeball coach Konstantinas Savickas.

Their input provided a significant and much-needed boost to the growing Lithuanian basketball scene. The need for improvement was obvious after an embarrassing 123-10 defeat to neighbouring Latvia, which was crowned inaugural European champion in the very first FIBA EuroBasket in 1935.

Savickas became the national coach and quickly made the team more competitive, with a far closer loss to Latvia – 31-10 – demonstrating the progress that had been made. Lithuania also applied to become a member of FIBA and was therefore eligible to take part in international tournaments, starting with the 1937 EuroBasket in Latvia.

Lithuania vs Hungary from EuroBasket 1939

The build-up to the tournament saw an earlier decision overturned and two Lithuanian-Americans selected for the team: Pranas Talzunas and Feliksas Kriauciunas, with the latter also appointed as player-coach. 

Expectations were not especially high – this was, after all, Lithuania's first ever international tournament – but confidence grew after the team won all three group games, overcoming Italy (22-20), Estonia (20-15) and Egypt (21-7) to reach the semifinals. Poland was duly dispatched 31-25, setting up a rematch with Italy for the title game.

And so on 7 May 1937, in Riga, Latvia, arguably the most important day of Lithuanian sporting history arrived. A tight first half saw Kriauciunas's team hold an 11-9 lead. A total of 12 points from tournament MVP Talzunas – reputed to be the first ever player to employ the hook shot – saw that advantage maintained through a nail-biting finale, with the game ending 24-23.

Lithuania EuroBasket 1939 with Pranas Lubinas is holding the Lithuanian tricolor.

Lithuania, a tiny country which had existed for less than two decades, was the new European champion, sparking a surge of national pride and a massive growth of public interest in basketball. That was further accelerated two years later when, as reigning champion, Lithuania was granted the right to host the 1939 EuroBasket. 

The 1939 event took place in the newly built Kaunas Sports Hall, and saw the host emphasise its pre-eminence as a new basketball superpower by retaining the title. The tournament took a simple league format and Lithuania was worthy winner after beating all seven other contestants with a starring role for another Lithuanian-American serving as player-coach, Frank John Lubin (born Pranas Jonas Lubinas), who had previously won a gold medal representing the United States in the 1936 Olympic Games.

Within four years of losing by more than 100 points to Latvia, now Lithuania was back-to-back European champion. And basketball was forever established as a key symbol of national pride.

Lithuanians after defeating Italy in EuroBasket 1937

Euroleague Basketball has chosen eight of its finest referees from the 2022-23 season to officiate the games of the 2023 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Final Four in Kaunas, Lithuania. The referees are Mehdi Difallah, Tomislav Hordov, Olegs Latisevs, Emin Mogulkoc, Anne Panther, Sasa Pukl, Boris Ryzhyk and Gytis Vilius.

The list includes many of the most seasoned referees on the continent as seven of the eight have previous Final Four experience. Difallah, Hordov, Latisevs, Ryzhyk and Vilius were also chosen for the 2022 Final Four. Ryzhyk and Vilius refereed last season's championship game and Pukl, Latisevs and Vilius staffed the championship game the year before.

"I am pleased for these referees who have shown a high standard of work across the whole season," said Richard Stokes, Euroleague Basketball Senior Director, Officiating. "The Final Four is the culmination and reward for a long season for the fans, players and coaches, but also for the referees who have shown excellence and consistency in their craft. To be selected is an honor for these officials, but with this opportunity comes great responsibility to perform at the highest level for two more days."

The Final Four will be the 11th for both Latisevs and Ryzhyk. Pukl will take part in his sixth Final Four, Difallah will work his fourth, Vilius his third and both Hordov and Panther their second. Mogulkoc will make his Final Four debut.

The 2023 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Final Four will take place at Zalgirio Arena in Kaunas, Lithuania. The semifinals will be on Friday, May 19, and the third-place and championship games will be two days later.

Euroleague Basketball appoints Final Four referees

The Lotus watch brand has been named the Official Timekeeper of the 2023 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Final Four. Lotus watches are part of the renowned Festina Group, which is headquartered in Barcelona and has more than three decades of history in manufacturing watches that appeal to a wide range of consumers. 

Lotus watches are known for their contemporary urban and trendy styles, which are befitting of EuroLeague athletes. Just as the EuroLeague stands out on the sporting scene, so too will young consumers seeking a timepiece that marries innovative technology, quality materials and cutting edge design.

As part of its sponsorship agreement with Euroleague Basketball, Lotus will sponsor the shot clocks at the Final Four and award a specially crafted watch to the Final Four MVP. 

Lotus is the Official Timekeeper of the Final Four

**•	"Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse", official movie partner of the Final Four**

**•	Fans to enjoy multi-platform presence of Spider-Man** 

 

Euroleague Basketball and Sony Pictures have joined forces to celebrate the exciting upcoming release of the latest movie of your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man, to be released in cinemas worldwide beginning on June 2.

"Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse" will be the official movie partner of the Final Four, to be held at the magnificent Zalgirio Arena in Kaunas, Lithuania, from May 19 to 21. 

Sony Pictures and Euroleague Basketball have reached a multi-platform agreement that will target both the fans witnessing the Final Four games on-site and the millions who will follow the event from their homes. Special on-court activations with – the movie's main soundtrack theme and a special teaser trailer created for the event – will amuse the thousands of fans filling the already sold-out Zalgirio Arena.   

"Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse" is the second part of the Spider-Man animation movies saga that introduced revolutionary animation concepts, mixing computer animation with traditional hand-drawn comic book techniques. The first part, "Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse", was one of the biggest hits of 2018, grossing $384.3 million worldwide and winning the Best Animated Feature at the 91st Academy Awards.

Those watching at home will also have a chance to glimpse your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man on global television broadcasts during the Final Four with thematic TV graphics and a special appearance just before the Championship Game of a tailor-made apparition using revolutionary augmented reality technology. 

Lastly, special "Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse" content will be created for all Euroleague Basketball Social media platforms, allowing all fans to enjoy what will certainly be one of the top blockbusters for this summer.

Spider-Man comic-books and movies have popularized the famous adage stated by Uncle Ben: "With great power comes great responsibility." That concept is applicable to all four teams and their players during the Final Four. After proving to be the best teams of the season, one team's players will have the biggest responsibility of their careers – lifting the EuroLeague trophy!

Spiderman!

Spider-Man to swing across the EuroLeague-verse at Final Four

France-based live streaming and VOD platform SKWEEK has acquired the exclusive global rights to the 2023 Adidas Next Generation Tournament Finals to be held in Kaunas, Lithuania from May 18 to 21.  SKWEEK also holds the exclusive rights in France and Monaco to the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague and 7DAYS EuroCup.

All Adidas Next Generation Tournament Finals games to be broadcast worldwide exclusively on SKWEEK

### Fans can watch the top young European stars for free all weekend long

France-based live streaming and VOD platform SKWEEK has acquired the exclusive global rights to the 2023 Adidas Next Generation Tournament Finals to be held in Kaunas, Lithuania from May 18 to 21.  SKWEEK also holds the exclusive rights in France and Monaco to the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague and 7DAYS EuroCup.

Oleg Petrov, CEO FEDCOM MEDIA, said: "We are thrilled to offer the Adidas Next Generation Tournament to all basketball fans around the world and give them the opportunity to discover the rising stars of the future. With this new acquisition, we will extend our offering to a new global audience, delivering premium content and contributing to the growth of this exciting tournament."

All games at the ANGT Finals will be streamed live for free upon registration for the service. All games will have commentary in English and French. Exclusive behind-the-scenes and off-court content will also be available on SKWEEK's social media accounts during the whole tournament.

“We are thrilled to partner with SKWEEK to bring one of the most prestigious U18 tournaments globally to all fans worldwide," Alex Ferrer Kristjansson, Euroleague Basketball Marketing and Communication Senior Director, stated. "The Adidas Next Generation Tournament is where stars are born. The SKWEEK audience will be able to meet the next Micic, Wembanyama, Sabonis, Mirotic, Doncic or Jokic, as well as enjoy additional exclusive content on the players and the tournament."

The Adidas Next Generation Tournament annually brings together the top youth teams and players across Europe for a series of four qualifying tournaments, which culminate in the ANGT Finals, held in conjunction with the EuroLeague Final Four. For two decades, the event has been a who's who of future stars, with past participants going on to win countless titles and accolades on both sides of the Atlantic.

The names Vasilije Micic, Nikola Mirotic, Milos Teodosic, Luka Doncic, Kristaps Porzingis, Bogdan Bogdanovic, Nikola Jokic, Domantas Sabonis and Victor Wembanyama, the projected number one NBA draft pick this year, are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the long list of future stars who have graced the courts of previous ANGT tournaments.

This season's participants will be Real Madrid, Joventut Badalona and FC Barcelona from Spain; Mega MIS Belgrade and Crvena Zvezda Belgrade from Serbia; Greek powerhouse Panathinaikos Athens; Zalgiris Kaunas from Lithuania; and the Next Generation Select Team, which features players from specially selected Next Generation teams at the four qualifying events.

The 2023 Adidas Next Generation Tournament Finals will begin on Thursday, May 18 and feature a total of 13 games, all played at Kaunas Sports Hall. The championship game is set for 12:30 local time on Sunday, May 21.

ANGT Finals games to be broadcast worldwide exclusively on SKWEEK

Euroleague Basketball is pleased to announce two initiatives aimed at promoting sustainability, mobility, education and emissions impact awareness that will take place at the 2023 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Final Four in Kaunas, Lithuania, from May 18 to 21. The first program is a reforestation campaign and the second is the [Final Four Walking Challenge](https://ftpserver.euroleague.net/general/instructions.pdf), which will also allow locals and visitors to support the reforestation campaign.

As part of the reforestation campaign, Euroleague Basketball aims to plant 15,000 trees in Kaunas. To tip off the campaign, 10,000 trees were already planted by Euroleague Basketball and its partner, #walk15, in the Dubravos Forest last Saturday, May 6. Euroleague Basketball Legend Ramunas Siskauskas and Zalgiris Kaunas Legend Paulius Jankunas actively participated in the planting of the trees. It is estimated that 10,000 new trees will help absorb more than 100 tons of CO2 emitted into the environment each year, while the species of trees being planted will contribute to the needs of the local wildlife.

Final Four Walking Challenge!

The [Final Four Walking Challenge](https://ftpserver.euroleague.net/general/instructions.pdf), which runs throughout Final Four weekend, will ask participants to take at least 10,000 steps on each of the four days. Not only will the extra walking promote sustainable mobility, healthy habits, and emissions reductions, but it will be the source of more trees being planted to reach the goal of 15,000. In addition, participants can win prizes!

Euroleague Basketball will collaborate with the popular Lithuanian app #walk15 on both initiatives. To take part in the [Final Four Walking Challenge](https://ftpserver.euroleague.net/general/instructions.pdf), fans – whether Final Four ticket holders or not – should simply download the free #walk15 app through the [Apple Store](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/walk15/id1155907677) or [Google Play](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=de.walk15.pedometer&gl=ES). Once registered, they can join one of the Final Four teams – AS Monaco, FC Barcelona, Olympiacos Piraeus or Real Madrid – or the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague team.

The goal of the challenge is for participants, both as individuals and team members, to achieve the highest number of steps over those four days. The challenge will be open to everyone in the city of Kaunas and abroad. Registration opens on Thursday, May 11. 

To be eligible for the prizes, participants must walk at least 10,000 steps on each day of the challenge. Eligible participants will be included in a raffle for tickets to the 2024 EuroLeague Final Four in Berlin, Germany. There will be additional prizes for the top three walkers from each of the five teams. Euroleague Basketball and its partner, adidas, will also offer on-site prize opportunities for visiting specific locations, including the Adidas Next Generation Tournament at Kaunas Sports Hall and the FanZone at Unity Square, through dedicated routes. The app will also allow the participants to store their steps in a wallet to exchange them for a special Final Four discount of 15% on trains from Vilnius to Kaunas. [See all terms and conditions here](https://ftpserver.euroleague.net/general/TCFinalFourWalkingChallenge.pdf). 

This initiative is being supported by our friends and Final Four collaborators at #walk15, the Lithuanian Forestry Office, Lithuanian train company LTG Link, Kauno autobusai, Zalgiris Kaunas, adidas and the City of Kaunas.

Walking Challenge headlines 2023 Final Four sustainability initiatives

Real Madrid is headed back to the Final Four! Real made playoff history by beating Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade 3-2 with a home win in Game 5. It was the only home win of the series after a record-breaking four consecutive road victories. Real became the first team to rally from a 0-2 deficit in a EuroLeague Playoff series. With their backs against the wall, Los Blancos brought out their most competitive version to take road wins in Games 3 and 4, taking the series back to the Spanish capital to finish the job. Real is now set to face archrival FC Barcelona in the semifinals.

Real Madrid returns to the Final Four!

Real Madrid is headed back to the Final Four! Real made playoff history by beating Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade 3-2 with a home win in Game 5. It was the only home win of the series after a record-breaking four consecutive road victories. Real became the first team to rally from a 0-2 deficit in a EuroLeague Playoff series. With their backs against the wall, *Los Blancos* brought out their most competitive version to take road wins in Games 3 and 4, taking the series back to the Spanish capital to finish the job. Real is now set to face archrival FC Barcelona in the semifinals.

Real is the winningest team in EuroLeague history with 10 continental crowns. Only three of them came in the Final Four era. After the format was adopted in 1988, Real only made it to three of the first 23 Final Fours. Things changed in the early 2010s when a golden generation of domestic players led by Rudy Fernandez, Sergio Llull, Sergio Rodriguez and Felipe Reyes joined forces with head coach Pablo Laso to restore Real to its place at among the top clubs on the continent. Real won EuroLeague titles in 2015 and 2018 and reached three more championship games. Chus Mateo, a two-time champion as Laso's assistant, now hopes to add to the club's legacy.

### Journey to the Final Four

Real was third in the regular season standings with a 23-11 record after winning 13 of its 17 home games. A road loss against Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv in the teams' [regular-season finale, 100-96](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/game-center/2022-23/maccabi-playtika-tel-aviv-real-madrid/E2022/301/), prevented Real from finishing second due to its tie-break disadvantage with Barca. Real, however, would have the home-court advantage in its best-of-five series against Partizan.

The series between Real and Partizan became an instant classic. [Partizan upset Real in Game 1 87-89](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/game-center/2022-23/real-madrid-partizan-mozzart-bet-belgrade/E2022/309/) on a game-winning shot by Kevin Punter, who buried a contested three-pointer with 0.4 seconds left to fix the final score. Punter led all scorers with 26 points. Gabriel Deck led Real with 24 points. Real center Walter Tavares missed Game 2 due to injury and Partizan took full advantage of it for [an 80-95 road victory](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/game-center/2022-23/real-madrid-partizan-mozzart-bet-belgrade/E2022/313/). The game ended prematurely, with 1:40 minutes left on the clock after a brawl erupted on the court. The game could not continue as the ejections of players who took part in the chaos meant neither team had the required number of players to carry on.

Players on both teams were suspended and Tavares returned for the games at Stark Arena, where he earned MVP of the Round honors in Games 3 and 4. He led Real to [an 80-82 win](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/game-center/2022-23/partizan-mozzart-bet-belgrade-real-madrid/E2022/317/) with 26 points and 11 rebounds for a PIR of 41. With the game tied at 77-77, Nigel Williams-Goss buried a critical three-pointer and Mario Hezonja put the victory on ice from the foul line. Then Tavares went for 15 points, 7 rebounds and a PIR of 30 in leading Real to [a 78-85 victory](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/game-center/2022-23/partizan-mozzart-bet-belgrade-real-madrid/E2022/321/) in Game 4. 

If Real's comeback was the theme of the series, so too was it in Game 5 as Los Blancos erased an 18-point deficit early in the second half to storm back and beat Partizan [98-94](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/game-center/2022-23/real-madrid-partizan-mozzart-bet-belgrade/E2022/325/) in a game that will go down in basketball history as a classic. It marked the first time ever that a team rallied from a 0-2 deficit to win a best-of-five series. Sergio Rodriguez scored 11 of his 19 points in the fourth quarter and Dzanan Musa led Real with 20 to lead the victory.

### Final Four experience

It is safe to say that no team has more experience on the court than *Los Blancos*. Sergio Llull is headed to his ninth Final Four, which is tied for second place all-time. He is the all-time Final Four leader in assists (62) and ranks third in scoring (191). Rudy Fernandez and Sergio Rodriguez each have qualified for their eighth Final Four. Fernandez and Llull have only been there with Real. Rodriguez has taken three different teams to the Final Four: Real, CSKA Moscow and EA7 Emporio Armani Milan.

Anthony Randolph has made it to the Final Four for the sixth time. Fabien Causeur is in his fifth Final Four and Adam Hanga and Tavares have each reached the event for the fourth time. Alberto Abalde and Vincent Poirier were at the Final Four last season, just like Nigel Williams-Goss, who only played 53 seconds due to injury. Mario Hezonja had a brief Final Four experience, taking part in the 2014 third place game with Barca. Twelve different Real players have been to at least one EuroLeague Championship Game.

### Final Four history

Real won seven EuroLeague tiles before the Final Four began: four in the 1960s, two in the 1970s and one in 1981. Once Arvydas Sabonis joined the team, Real reached the Final Four in 1993 and lifted the trophy, coached by Zeljko Obradovic, in 1995. Sabonis left but Real returned to the Final Four in 1996. After a 15-year absence, *Los Blancos* were back at the Final Four in 2011, where they lost against Maccabi in the semifinals. Coach Laso joined the following season and a new era began.

Real reached three consecutive championship games from 2013 to 2015, losing against Olympiacos Piraeus and Maccabi before lifting the trophy in its third attempt, in the Spanish capital. Andres Nocioni earned 2015 Final Four MVP honors. Real remained highly competitive and another title, the club's 10th, arrived in 2018. Luka Doncic was chosen as the 2018 Final Four MVP. Last season, Real returned to the Championship Game and lost against Anadolu Efes Istanbul.

 Monaco makes history with Final Four spot! 

The meteoric rise of AS Monaco reached new heights on Thursday when the club clinched a spot at the 2023 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Final Four. Coach Sasa Obradovic's squad won Game 5 to take the best-of-five playoff series against Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv on its home floor.

The victory meant that Monaco will play in European basketball’s pinnacle event in just its second season in the competition. Monaco hadn't even played in the EuroCup before 2018. It won that competition in its third season in the EuroCup and now could be two wins away from rocking the basketball world with the continental crown. When Monaco lands in Kaunas, Lithuania, for this season’s Final Four, it will face top-seed Olympiacos Piraeus in the semifinals.

### Journey to the Final Four

Monaco was in the playoff hunt all season after winning five of its first six games, including triumphs over outgoing champion [Anadolu Efes Istanbul](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/game-center/2022-23/as-monaco-anadolu-efes-istanbul/E2022/10/) and [Olympiacos](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/game-center/2022-23/olympiacos-piraeus-as-monaco/E2022/40/). The club lost back-to-back games only twice all season. The second time was in the final two games of the regular season after Monaco had clinched a playoff berth. It finished the regular season in fourth place with a 21-13 record.

Then Monaco stumbled out of the gate in the playoffs, [losing the series opener to Maccabi 67-79](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/game-center/2022-23/as-monaco-maccabi-playtika-tel-aviv/E2022/308/) and with it the home-court advantage. It bounced back [to take the second game 86-74](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/game-center/2022-23/as-monaco-maccabi-playtika-tel-aviv/E2022/312/) led by Jordan Loyd, who posted 33 points.

"Roca Team" then recaptured the home-court advantage with [a 78-83 Game 3 victory](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/game-center/2022-23/maccabi-playtika-tel-aviv-as-monaco/E2022/316/). Monaco never trailed in that game, riding Mike James's 18 first-half points to take control and then holding off all of Maccabi's comeback attempts in the second half. Maccabi responded in Game 4, dominating from the start of the second quarter en route to a [104-69 victory.](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/game-center/2022-23/maccabi-playtika-tel-aviv-as-monaco/E2022/320/)

In a back-and-forth Game 5 one year after Monaco had lost the same opportunity on the road, this time experience counted as Jordan Loyd's 8 points in a row turned around a one-point deficit with under 4 minutes left to preserve a [97-86](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/game-center/2022-23/as-monaco-maccabi-playtika-tel-aviv/E2022/324/) victory as he and Mike James tallied 21 points each. 

AS Monaco Top Plays from 10/01/2022 to 05/04/2023

AS Monaco's best moments en route to the Kaunas Final Four!

### Kaunas connection

Center Donatas Motiejunas will surely have a special cheering section in Kaunas. A native of the city, he came through the youth ranks with Zalgiris and made his professional debut there before spending time in Italy, Poland, the NBA and China. This is Motiejunas's second season with Monaco. 

### Final Four experience

The team’s star guard Mike James is the only player on the roster with Final Four experience. He reached the Final Four with Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz in 2016 in Berlin.  

### Final Four history 

Monaco becomes just the third team from the French League to reach the Final Four and the first in more than a quarter-century. The last French club to do was ASVEL Villeurbanne in Rome in 1997. The other French club to make a Final Four was Limoges CSP, which won the 1993 crown in Piraeus and lost in the semifinals in Zaragoza in both 1990 and 1995.

Monaco makes history with Final Four spot!

Olympiacos Piraeus, the No. 1 seed entering 2023 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Playoffs, has secured its place in the Final Four after defeating Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul 3-2 in a hard-fought series. After splitting the first two games in Greece, the Reds went on the road and split games at Ulker Sports and Events Hall, too. The Reds used the support at Peace and Friendship Stadium in Game 5 to break out to early double-digit leads before halftime and maintain the upper hand on the way to an 84-72 victory and a ticket to Kaunas for the semifinals on May 19. Olympiacos will play the winner of the series between AS Monaco and Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv.

Olympiacos books its place in the EuroLeague Final Four!

Olympiacos Piraeus, the No. 1 seed entering 2023 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Playoffs, has secured its place in the Final Four after defeating Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul 3-2 in a hard-fought series. After splitting the first two games in Greece, the Reds went on the road and split games at Ulker Sports and Events Hall, too. The Reds used the support at Peace and Friendship Stadium in Game 5 to break out to early double-digit leads before halftime and maintain the upper hand on the way to an [84-72](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/game-center/2022-23/olympiacos-piraeus-fenerbahce-beko-istanbul/E2022/323/) victory and a ticket to Kaunas for the semifinals on May 19. Olympiacos will play the winner of the series between AS Monaco and Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv.

Since Georgios Bartzokas's return as head coach in January 2020, he has helped build Olympiacos from the bottom up once again. The team failed to make the playoffs in 2020-21, with the club having brought Kostas Sloukas back to Peace and Friendship Stadium heading into that campaign, but Coach Bartzokas has since guided Olympiacos to back-to-back Final Four appearances. Curiously, the last time that Olympiacos made two Final Fours in a row was when it became the back-to-back champion in 2012 and 2013.

### Journey to the Final Four

Olympiacos topped the standings with a league-best 24-10 record, going on a seven-game winning run between Rounds 19 and 25, before having a 6-2 run to close the regular season. Its series with Fenerbahce ended up going to five games, which once again led to memorable scenes inside Peace and Friendship Stadium at the final buzzer – just like what happened against Monaco one year ago.

Coach Bartzokas's squad got the EuroLeague Playoffs off to a good start with [a 79-68 win](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/game-center/2022-23/olympiacos-piraeus-fenerbahce-beko-istanbul/E2022/307/) against Fenerbahce, thanks in large part to 5 made triples in the third quarter by Isaiah Canaan, who finished with 18 points. Sasha Vezenkov paced Olympiacos that night with 19 points. Game 2 saw Fenerbahce fall behind 24-10 after the first 10 minutes, but a second-quarter fightback led by Carsen Edwards and Johnathan Motley cut the gap to 3 points, 37-34, at the interval. Then, in the fourth quarter, Nigel Hayes-Davis stepped up to ensure that Fenerbahce came away with a crucial [78-82](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/game-center/2022-23/olympiacos-piraeus-fenerbahce-beko-istanbul/E2022/311/) victory, tying the series in the process. The action then switched to Istanbul and it looked almost certain that Fenerbahce was going to go 2-1 up after Marko Guduric made a mid-range jumper with 3.9 seconds remaining to set the score at 71-69. But, ex-Fenerbahce guard Sloukas broke his former side's hearts with a game-winning triple at the buzzer, [71-72](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/game-center/2022-23/fenerbahce-beko-istanbul-olympiacos-piraeus/E2022/315/). Yet, Fenerbahce responded by winning Game 4 at home, [73-69](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/game-center/2022-23/fenerbahce-beko-istanbul-olympiacos-piraeus/E2022/319/), to force the decider. But back in Piraeus, a Game 5-record 15-0 second-quarter run put Olympiacos in charge the rest of the way on the way to an 84-72 victory. Sloukas led the way with 22 points, while Kostas Papanikolaou had 14 and 11 rebounds to send Olympiacos to its eighth Final Four this century!

‘The final minute between Fenerbahce and Olympiacos was CRAZY ’

### Final Four experience

Luckily for Coach Bartzokas, the majority of this Olympiacos squad can lean on its experience from last season's Final Four. The Reds came up just short in the semifinals, with Anadolu Efes Istanbul's Vasilije Micic hitting a game-winning three-pointer at the buzzer. Yet, that disappoint will only act as inspiration for [Vezenkov](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/sasha-vezenkov/003469/), [Thomas Walkup](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/thomas-walkup/008855/), [Moustapha Fall](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/moustapha-fall/008811/), [Shaquielle McKissic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/shaquielle-mckissic/007853/) and [Giannoulis Larentzakis](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/giannoulis-larentzakis/010392/), all of whom made their first trip to the Final Four in 2022.

[Sloukas](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/kostas-sloukas/001926/) and [Kostas Papanikolaou](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/kostas-papanikolaou/001255/), who were both members of Olympiacos's title-winning teams in 2012 and 2013, are the veteran leaders for this team following the retirement of Georgios Printezis, and their experience will be key in Kaunas. There is also championship experience in the form of backups [Alec Peters](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/alec-peters/008829/) and [Joel Bolomboy](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/joel-bolomboy/009035/), who were part of CSKA Moscow's EuroLeague triumph in 2019. [Canaan](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/isaiah-canaan/010612/) and [Tarik Black](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/tarik-black/008991/), meanwhile, are heading to the Final Four for the first time.

### Final Four history

Olympiacos has made it to its eighth Final Four since the turn of the century, and all of those have come in the last 15 years. In that time, the Reds have become champion on two occasions: in [2012](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/game-center/2011-12/cska-moscow-olympiacos-piraeus/E2011/188/) and [2013](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/game-center/2012-13/olympiacos-piraeus-real-madrid/E2012/253/). Looking further back, since the Final Four format was introduced in 1988, the Reds have reached European basketball's showpiece event 11 times and won a total of three titles, having also become champion of Europe in 1997.

Since becoming the back-to-back champion in 2013, Olympiacos has twice finished as runner-up – in [2015](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/game-center/2014-15/real-madrid-olympiacos-piraeus/E2014/251/) and [2017](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/game-center/2016-17/fenerbahce-istanbul-olympiacos-piraeus/E2016/263/) – and once ended the season in fourth place, which is where it finished last season after [losing to Efes in the semifinals](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/game-center/2021-22/olympiacos-piraeus-anadolu-efes-istanbul/E2021/328/) and [FC Barcelona in the third-place game](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/game-center/2021-22/fc-barcelona-olympiacos-piraeus/E2021/329/). This year, Olympiacos is back with a vengeance as it looks to celebrate the 10th anniversary of its last EuroLeague title by becoming the champion once again.

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