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Olympiacos BC is a Greek basketball team, based in Piraeus, Athens. A part of the Olympiacos CFP family, the team was founded in 1925 and is one of the oldest and most tradition-rich clubs in Europe. Olympiacos is a strong contender in both the Greek League and the Euroleague. The team is frequently referred as the "Chicago Bulls of Europe," due to the fact that the two clubs wear the same colours and had played in the final of McDonald's Championship in 1997, during the simultaneous Bulls' NBA dynasty and Olympiacos' dominance in Europe. Olympiacos was selected by FIBA as the Best Team of the 1990s in Europe. History 1930s-1960s Beginning in the 1930s, it was the first Greek team to familiarize itself with American basketball as Alekos Spanoudakis learned to imitate the jump shot of American sailors and his brother Giannis met basketball legend Bob Cousy and practiced many of his secrets on the court. The Spanoudakis brothers led the club to its first Greek Championship in 1949. The second title didn't come until 11 years later, in 1960, which allowed the Reds for the first time to qualify for the European Champions Cup. It was their first ever participation in european level, as well. 1970s-1980s It wasn't until 1976 that Olympiacos would win another Greek title and it did so in unprecedented fashion, running off 22 victories in 22 games, while in the same year they did it very well in Cup Winner's Cup. Another Greek title followed two years later and in a decade which also saw Olympiacos add four Greek Cups between 1976 and 1980. In 1979 they also had their first significant success in Europe, reaching the final round (Final 6) of the European Championship. The final round of that year was one of the toughest ever in the competition. So, Olympiacos didn't manage to do anything better than finishing 6th, achieving a single 79-77 win over Maccabi Tel Aviv in Athens, while in the tense match in Tel Aviv, the Reds suffered one of their heaviest defeats 51-93. In general, Olympiacos was a tough home team, although they lost all the rest home matches, the scores were too close: 84-95 to Joventut Badalona (77-91 away), 68-72 to Emerson Varese (67-92 away), 97-101 to Real Madrid (72-113 away), 83-88 to Bosna Sarajevo (72-89 away). Although the 1970s was the most successful decade for the team up to that time, the 1980s marked a low period for the Reds, who didn't manage to play a major domestic role, outshined by the up-and-coming super powers from Thessaloniki, Aris and PAOK. 1990s It was in the 1990s that the Reds made their biggest mark. The middle of that decade belonged to Olympiacos, not only in Greece, but all around the continent. In 1991 - 1992, record holding Greek basketball coach Giannis Ioannidis left Aris to manage Olympiacos, the torpid giant, and created a tough, team-oriented, offensive basketball team. In addition to this, Olympiacos left the old Papastrateio Indoor Hall, to move into Peace and Friendship Stadium (commonly called SEF), an indoor arena of 15,000 seats, the biggest in Greece at that time. By that year the club rebounded, climbing all the way back to rule Greece. They finished second in the Greek league, following PAOK. Five consecutive Greek Championships from 1993 to 1997 and two Greek Cups in 1994 and 1997, made the team the indubitable dominant in Greece. During this period, Olympiacos was the best supported basketball team, not only in Greece, as Peace and Friendship Stadium was full in most of their matches, making Olympiacos invincible in it. In addition to their domestic success, Olympiacos became the most successful team in Euroleague of that period, making FIBA to select them as the Best Team of Europe in 1990s. In 1992 - 1993, in their first Euroleague appearance, they didn't manage to qualify for the Athens Final Four which was held in their home field, SEF, as they were eliminated by CSP Limoges in the quarter-finals. However, inspite of finishing 4th in the regular season, they won their first Greek championship since 1978, defeating PAOK in the semi-finals and Panathinaikos in the finals, although both Olympiacos' opponents had the so-called home advantage. But the following year, Olympiacos reached for a first time the Final Four in Tel Aviv. They faced their arch-rivals Panathinaikos in the semi-final, beating them 77-72 and being the first greek team to play in the final of Euroleague. The Reds were the favourites to win the european crown. But Olympiacos was shocked in the final by Joventut Badalona to which they lost 57-59. Finally, they managed to win an easy domestic double against PAOK and Iraklis in the Greek League and Greek Cup finals respectively. In 1994 - 1995 they played in their second Euroleague Final Four in Zaragoza, facing again in the semi-final their eternal enemies of Panathinaikos, defeating them one more time 58-52 and reaching the final for a second consecutive year. There they played against another spanish team, Real Madrid, which were playing in their country and Olympiacos lost again 61-73. In the Greek League they managed to win the championship in the best of five finals, with a thrilling 45-44 home win over Panathinaikos in the last match. The next season, 1995 - 1996, Olympiacos didn't made the Final Four, they saw their rivals Panathinaikos winning the Euroleague for the first time ever for Greece instead. But the season ended in an extremely memorable way, because in the last of a five game finals of the Greek League, Olympiacos smashed the European Champions Panathinaikos, with a shocking 73-38 victory, an all-time record victory margin for the Greek League Finals. In 1996 - 1997 with a new coach, Dusan Ivkovic, at the bench, the Reds and their fans hoped more than ever for the European title. In the regular season of Euroleague, Olympiacos' performance was not as good as it was the previous years, but in the play-offs they were impressive, breaking twice their opponents home advantage. Their first victim was Partizan Belgrade, in a strange best of three series, in which Olympiacos won the first match in Belgrade, lost the second in Peace and Friendship Stadium, disappointing their fans, and finally won the third in Belgrade, advancing to the quarter-finals where the defending champions Panathinaikos were waiting with a home advantage, ready to stop their rival and revenge them for the last year's opprobrious defeat in the greek finals. In the first game in Panathinaikos home, the Athens Olympic Indoor Hall, Olympiacos stunned again the Greens beating them 69-49 in front of their fans. In the second match, in Peace and Friendship Stadium, in front of 15,000 red fans, Olympiacos won Panathinaikos 65-57 and went to the Final Four in Rome, being the unquestionable favourites to win it. Finally they made it, by beating KK Union Olimpija 74-65 in the semi-final and Barcelona 73-58 in the final. Olympiacos fans were quick to sing that "in Rome and in the Final, we lifted the European (Trophy)" and this remains as one of the Club's most popular chants today. Olympiacos easily achieved the coveted triple crown: the Greek League title (against the surprise of that year AEK Athens), the Greek Cup (against Apollon Patras) and finally the Euroleague crown. Olympiacos was the only Greek team to have achieved this up to 2007 and one of the very few in the history of European Basketball. In October of the same year, the club claimed the McDonald's Championship, in Paris. Having defeated Atenas de Cordoba in the semi-final by 89-86, Olympiacos played against Chicago Bulls in the final and it was a game between the European Champion and the NBA Champion. Again Olympiacos is the only greek team in history that played such a match. During that game Olympiacos never used a zone defence, although the match was played according to European basketball ruling and was defeated naturally 78-104, by the team of one of the greatest basketball players ever, Michael Jordan. In 1997 - 1998, Olympiacos, being again the favourites in all the competitions they were taking part, started with an impressive record of consecutive wins in Greece and Europe. But in the second half of the season, things went wrong for the team. Olympiacos played in the round of 16 of Euroleague, with a home advantage against Partizan in a three game series, but they lost both matches in Athens and Belgrade and the European Champions suffered an early and disappointing elimination. In the Greek Cup's Final Four, they faced Panathinaikos for the 3rd place and they won them easily. In the Greek League Olympiacos finished the regular season in the second place, following Panathinaikos. In the semi-finals, Olympiacos faced PAOK, having a home advantage in a best of three series. In the first match in Athens, Olympiacos took a thrilling win 66-65 and held the advantage. PAOK won the second match in Thessaloniki and the last game was held again in Athens. With Predrag Stojaković scoring an amazing three-point shot exactly at the end of the match, PAOK achieved an unbelievable 58-55 win in Faliro, as it was the first time ever that Olympiacos was defeated in Peace and Friendship Stadium for the greek playoffs. The Reds didn't have the chance to defend their crown and finally won the third place, with a total 3-1 wins over AEK Athens. The 1998 - 1999 season didn't begin well, because in season's opening match for the Greek Cup, PAOK returned in Piraeus and won again, much easier than 4 months ago, throwing Olympiacos out of the competition, in their home. The Reds played for the last time in the Euroleague Final Four, and although they were counted as the favourites to win the title, they lost 71-87 in the semi-final to Zalgiris Kaunas and they finished third by winning Teamsystem Bologna 74-63. In the Greek League they were ready to win the championship again, having the home advantage and facing Panathinaikos in the finals. But in the last game in their home, they lost to the Greens and saw them celebrating their championship in front of Olympiacos fans. That was the first win ever of Panathinaikos in Peace and Friendship Stadium. 2000s In the season 1999 - 2000, Olympiacos didn't make it in Euroleague, eliminated in the round of 16 by Union Olimpija. On the contrary they survived in the regular season of the Greek League and entered the playoffs from the first place, having home advantage. But in the semi-finals they played against fourth-placed PAOK, which made another one astonishing win in Peace and Friendship Stadium, which wasn't seen as a fortress anymore, followed by a PAOK's win in Thessaloniki too. Olympiacos faced again AEK for the third place and they won it. In 2000 - 2001, Olympiacos had the chance to claim the first Euroleague organised by ULEB, but despite having home advantage in the playoffs, they were eliminated by TAU Cerámica while in the Greek League Finals, they didn't manage to overcome the home advantage of Panathinaikos and finished second. In 2001 - 2002 the club managed to win the Greek Cup, their first trophy since 1997, in a Final Four which was held in Peace and Friendship Stadium, beating Panathinaikos in the semi-final and Maroussi in the final. Then they came within one victory from the Euroleague Final Four, playing for the Top 16 in a group against Panathinaikos, AEK Athens and Union Olimpija, with only the first advancing to the Final Four. Having made an easy 92-75 win over Panathinaikos in the opening home match, another home win against AEK, an away win against Olimpija, Olympiacos played away against Panathinaikos and lost 78-88, a score which gave to the Reds the advantage in case of finishing on the top along with their rivals. However, in the fifth game, the weaker team of the group, Union Olimpija, shocked Olympiacos in Athens, succeeding their single win in the group and putting Olympiacos in the second place away from the Final Four, which was later won by Panathinaikos. Having broken the home advantage of Panathinaikos in the semi-final, the Reds made it to the last game of the Greek League final series, where they played against AEK Athens to which they finally lost. Olympiacos was one of the Euroleague's most dangerous teams in 2002 - 2003 as well. The club came closer than any team to knocking off the final champions Barcelona in two heartbreaking games in the Euroleague Top 16 groups, and proved, despite the fact that it was not the much feared team of the 90s, able to beat any team at any time. The 2003 - 2004 and 2004 - 2005 seasons were the worst for the modern history of Olympiacos. In both seasons, the club was eliminated from the Greek Cup at home by Panathinaikos, and finished 8th in the Greek League. Especially in the latter season, Olympiacos had a humiliating performance in Euroleague, making people of basketball wondering about the club's future. The 2005 - 2006 season had seen the return of a Red giant, which had overcome some slow years with a nice combination of young talent and experience which has paid off. Olympiacos board brought the well known Basketball Director, George Garbolas, and with his vital help, Olympiacos completely renewed its roster before the start of the season and not only immediately paid off, but also gave its fans some hope for a bright future. Players like Reinaldas Seibutis, Lewis, Panagiotis Vasilopoulos, Georgios Printezis and, above all, Sofoklis Schortsianitis might well be a solid core of players for many years to come. That summer the team went to Karpenisi, Greece to have its main preparation for the coming season as Mr. Garbolas had suggested. This season seemed as very promising for the Red Giant. However, the promising Reds, suffered a 51-81 home defeat to Panathinaikos in their opening match for the Greek Cup. Olympiacos survived a difficult regular season and shined in the Top 16, advancing to the Quarterfinal Playoffs. The Reds were just a win away from making it to the Final Four for the first time since 1999. Maccabi Tel Aviv won the best-of-three series 2-1, but Game 3 went down to the wire and experienced proved to be a decisive factor in the final 2 minutes, when the hosts managed to seal a 77-73 win and advanced to the Final Four in Prague. Tyus Edney earned February MVP honors, as well as ranking third in assists at the end of the regular season and second in the Top 16. Olympiacos also shined in its domestic competition, as the Reds made it to the Greek League finals for the the first time in five years by surviving a thrilling five-game series against Maroussi. Panathinaikos ended up sweeping the best-of-five final playoff series, but it was clear that the Reds were back where they used to be, becoming a team able to challenge for every title. In 2006 - 2007 with the signing of Pinhas Gershon as head coach and NBA star Arvydas Macijauskas, the Reds were one of the favourites to claim the Euroleague crown but they didn't manage to qualify to the Athens Final Four. They were eliminated from the Greek Cup as well. In the Greek League playoffs, they made it to the finals after winning 3-2 a best of five semifinal against Aris. Although Olympiacos had to overcome their home disadvantage, they won the last match in Thessaloniki and made it to the best of five finals, having again home disadvantage, against the European champions Panathinaikos, in order to win the Greek championship, their first since 1997. But they finished second in one of the best final series ever played in the Greek League. At the inaugural game in Panathinaikos home, the Reds lost 72-79, but they won at the second game in Peace and Friendship Stadium 76-72. At the third match, Panathinaikos took a thrilling 86-85 home win after extra time, while in Piraeus, Olympiacos won easily 78-68. At the last game in Panathinaikos home, the Reds lost 76-89. Honours Total Titles: 17
Other honours
International Record Season Achievement Notes Euroleague 1978-79 6th / Final Six played against Bosna Sarajevo, Emerson Varese, Maccabi Tel Aviv, Real Madrid and Joventut Badalona 1992-93 Quarter-finals eliminated by CSP Limoges with 1-2 wins, 70-67 in Athens, 53-59 and 58-60 in Limoges 1993-94 2nd / Final Four won Panathinaikos 77-72 in semi-final, defeated by Joventut Badalona 57-59 in final 1994-95 2nd / Final Four won Panathinaikos 58-52 in semi-final, defeated by Real Madrid 61-73 in final 1995-96 Quarter-finals eliminated by Real Madrid with 1-2 wins, 68-49 in Athens, 77-80 and 65-80 in Madrid 1996-97 Winner / Final Four won Union Olimpija 74-65 in semi-final, won Barcelona 73-58 in final 1998-99 3rd / Final Four defeated by Zalgiris Kaunas 71-87 in semi-final, won Teamsystem Bologna 74-63 in final 2000-01 Quarter-finals eliminated by TAU Cerámica with 0-2 wins, 72-78 in Athens, 76-98 in Vitoria-Gasteiz 2005-06 Quarter-finals eliminated by Maccabi Tel Aviv with 1-2 wins, 78-87 in Tel Aviv, 76-70 in Athens, 73-77 in Tel Aviv 2006-07 Quarter-finals eliminated by TAU Cerámica with 0-2 wins, 59-84 in Vitoria-Gasteiz, 89-95 in Athens Saporta Cup 1975-76 Quarter-finals finished fourth in a group with Rabotnički, ASPO Tours and CSKA Sofia Korać Cup 1979-80 Quarter-finals finished second in a group with Arrigoni Sebastiani, Joventut Badalona and Tofas Bursa 1988-89 Quarter-finals finished fourth in a group with Zadar, Joventut Badalona and Hapoel Tel Aviv Biggest wins in Champions Cup and Euroleague Home wins Season Match Score Pts dif. 1978-79 Olympiacos - Jalaa CS 106 - 57 +49 Away wins Season Match Score Pts dif. 2000-01 Ovarense - Olympiacos 53 - 100 +47
Current roster Guards 04 PG James "Scoonie" Penn Forwards 13 SF Panayiotis Vasilopoulos Centers 09 C Yiannis Bourousis Coach Pini Gershon Possible squad changes for the upcoming 2007/2008 season Kostas Vasiliadis from Unicaja (Jul. 2007) Notable former players
Olympiacos Piraeus BC
Leagues A1 Ethniki
Links
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