Crvena Zvezda Stun Champions Olympiacos 62-57 in Athens

Crvena Zvezda produced the statement win of EuroLeague Round 10 on 6 November, beating defending European champions Olympiacos 62-57 on the road in Athens. The Serbian side led for almost all 40 minutes at the Peace and Friendship Stadium, survived a furious late rally from the hosts, and left Greece with a victory that lifted them to second place in the EuroLeague standings.

Zvezda seize control from the start

The visitors set the tone immediately. Jordan Nwora hit a tough shot and a three-pointer in the opening minutes to help Crvena Zvezda build a 14-7 lead, and the Belgrade side never looked back in the first half. Zvezda led 19-11 after the first quarter, then closed the half with a 16-2 run to go into the break ahead 40-22.

Olympiacos never reached 20 points in any single quarter, such was the control Zvezda exercised at the defensive end. The hosts went into the locker room with 22 points, the lowest halftime total in Olympiacos EuroLeague home history. The previous unwanted record was 23 points against Maccabi Tel Aviv back in 2013, a mark that had stood for more than a decade until Zvezda's defence tore it down.

Nwora delivers a double-double

Jordan Nwora was the best player on the floor in Athens, delivering a double-double of 18 points and 13 rebounds in the biggest road win of the season so far for Crvena Zvezda. He was involved from the start, scoring early, attacking the glass throughout, and keeping his side ahead when the game tightened.

Nwora had 14 points by the end of the third quarter, and he kept crashing the boards when Olympiacos made its late push. When the game got tense, his scoring and rebounding gave Zvezda the cushion it needed to survive. Chris Jones was the only other Zvezda player to reach double figures, finishing with 10 points, but his contribution would prove decisive in the closing seconds.

For Olympiacos, Sasha Vezenkov was brilliant in defeat, finishing with 27 points and 6 rebounds. Evan Fournier added 12 points and found his rhythm as the hosts fought back, but even Vezenkov's scoring could not rescue a night when the rest of the home attack struggled to find any fluency against a disciplined and physical visiting defence.

Olympiacos rally falls just short

The lead reached 22 points at its peak, with Zvezda ahead 46-24 at one stage, and Olympiacos looked to be out of the game. The hosts did not go quietly, though. Little by little, the champions reduced the gap, Fournier got into form, and with two minutes left Olympiacos were only two points behind at 57-55.

The Peace and Friendship Stadium crowd sensed a remarkable comeback, and the pressure on the visitors was suddenly intense. Zvezda needed one more big play to settle the contest, and it arrived from Chris Jones. The guard buried a three-pointer with 43 seconds left to make it 62-55, a shot that effectively ended the argument and sealed one of the most impressive away wins of the EuroLeague season.

What the win means for the standings

The win lifts Crvena Zvezda to 7-3, while Olympiacos drop to the same 7-3 record. On the standings published after the round, Zvezda sit second, behind leaders Panathinaikos on 8-2, with Olympiacos among the group of teams on seven wins. For a side that arrived in Athens as underdogs against the reigning champions, that is a significant statement of intent.

The result also confirmed that the race at the top of the EuroLeague is wide open. Zvezda showed they can win ugly, defend for long stretches, and hold their nerve when a hostile crowd and a proud opponent come charging back. Olympiacos, meanwhile, were reminded that even champions cannot afford a half as poor as their first 20 minutes here, no matter how strong their second-half response.

Around the rest of Round 10

Friday's other games completed Round 10. Zalgiris won its fourth straight EuroLeague game, beating Besiktas 83-67 in Istanbul after winning the first half 45-31 and building a 25-point lead at the start of the final quarter. Dubai continued its strong run with a 93-75 win away at Virtus Bologna, taking control early and leading 48-34 at half-time. Partizan beat Maccabi Tel Aviv 88-67 at Belgrade Arena, leading 72-52 after three quarters.

For Crvena Zvezda, though, the night belonged to the win in Athens. They defended the champions into a historic low, relied on Nwora at both ends, and found the one shot that mattered when Jones stepped up with 43 seconds left. If they keep winning games like this, their place near the top of the EuroLeague table will be no surprise at all.