The Olympiacos forward ended the series opener with 23 points and a PIR of 31
Sasha Vezenkov shined again with statement outing in Game 1
Article
3 Mins read
The Olympiacos Piraeus fans sent Sasha Vezenkov a clear message ahead of Game 1 against Real Madrid on Wednesday evening. Chants of “MVP, MVP” rained down from the stands before and throughout the contest, with the Olympiacos forward responding by producing an MVP-caliber performance on the floor.
A couple of days after missing out on the 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague MVP award, won by Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens guard Kendrick Nunn, Vezenkov hit the ground running in the first quarter.
Walter Tavares scored the game's opening basket for Real Madrid, but Vezenkov tied it before later drilling a triple for a 12-2 lead. Olympiacos never looked back, with their star man ending the first half on 13 points, having gone 3 for 4 on two-pointers and 2 for 2 from deep for a PIR of 18.
Vezenkov added 10 more points to his tally in the second half to end the game on 23, which he paired with 7 rebounds for a PIR of 31. The Bulgaria international also contributed on defense, recording 3 steals, one of which he turned into an open layup in transition before the break.
“Quality players like Sasha Vezenkov don’t need to prove anything individually,” Georgios Bartzokas said in the post-game press conference. “He came back after this experience in the NBA to go with Olympiacos until the end. And now it’s time for us to step up and win the titles. I’m happy that he played the game the way he’s supposed to play these kinds of games.”
A locked-in Vezenkov responded with a blunt “no comment” when asked on EuroLeague TV after Olympiacos’s win over Real Madrid about the MVP chants from the crowd. Eyes set on the prize, he has repeatedly stressed that for him collective success is above individual accolades.
As Bartzokas noted, his player returned to Europe looking to lead Olympiacos all the way to glory. And Vezenkov’s outing on Wednesday night allowed his team to take an important first step towards its ultimate objective.