The Reds found a hero in Barcelona on Friday
Evan Fournier showed big-shot mentality for Olympiacos
Article
3 Mins read
Olympiacos Piraeus fans already knew their team boasts one of the continent’s most decisive players… and now they have two.
Having won the EuroLeague MVP award in 2022-23, Sasha Vezenkov is further cementing his top-tier status with a relentlessly consistent series of spectacular performances, week after week after week.
But Vezenkov – although he performed to his usual high standards with a game-high 24 points – was not the man who decided Friday’s thrilling 88-90 victory over FC Barcelona, which allows the Reds to roar into the midseason break with a two-game lead at the top of the standings.
Instead, it was Evan Fournier. With the game tied and 18 seconds on the clock for Olympiacos to win it, the veteran French swingman was entrusted with the responsibility of dribbling on the perimeter before creating space for a shot, which he did by spinning away from Jabari Parker, driving towards the basket and – just one second before the final buzzer – scooping up a right-handed shot off the backboard and in.
“We wanted to play with the time and go to the basket at the end, not giving time to Barcelona for the last shot,” explained coach Georgios Bartzokas, making it sound almost as simple as Fournier made it look.
Just like that, the game had been won, Fournier was the hero – and it wasn’t really surprising.
Although he is a EuroLeague rookie, the 32-year-old has made a career out of wanting the ball in his hands when it burns the most. The greater the degree of difficulty, the more he wants to make the shot. The latest miss only taking him closer to the next make. The higher the stakes, the greater the desire.
This ability was first seriously showcased this season in Round 8, when Fournier grabbed the Greek derby by the scruff of its neck, draining 8 points in the last 3 minutes to turn an 83-82 deficit into an 89-94 road victory over local rival and reigning champ Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens.
So it was totally understandable that the Reds would opt to put the game in his hands again on Friday night, and equally predictable that Fournier would rise to the occasion by keeping his calm for an ice-cool game winner.
He is now also approaching Vezenkov levels of consistency, averaging 16.8 points per game, netting at least 18 points in six consecutive games and multiple three-pointers in 10 straight.
And now the message has been sent loud and clear to the rest of Europe: if Vezenkov doesn’t get you, Fournier will.