Olympiacos storm past Real Madrid to retain Euroleague title

LONDON - Reuters

Olympiacos' Vassilis Spanoulis, second from left, is challenged by Real Madrid's Rudy Fernandez, second from right, during the Euroleague Final-Four final basketball game at the O2 Arena, in London May 12. AP photo

Olympiacos Piraeus defeated Real Madrid 100-88 with a dominant second half display to win Europe's premier basketball trophy for the second year running at London's O2 arena on May 12.

Inspired by a vocal travelling support who defied Greece's economic problems to make the trip, Olympiacos battled back from 27-10 down after the first quarter of the Euroleague final to take the lead early in the second half and rarely looked threatened thereafter.

Their ironclad defence allowed the Spanish side just 14 points in the second quarter and 20 in the third, with the team's talisman Vassilis Spanoulis top scorer with 22 points.

A 21-point haul for Rudy Fernandez, who quit the National Basketball Association to return to Madrid last year, could do little to stem the tide.