-
May 26, 2026, 2:38 pmLast Updated on May 26, 2026 2:38 pm by André Lemos | Published: May 26, 2026
And with that, the 2026 EuroLeague season comes to an end.
OAKA was the stage for the final weekend of the season, where only one team could be crowned champion. It was Olympiacos, on its main rival’s home court, that came out on top, and we’ll break down how.
Semi-Finals
Olympiacos vs Fenerbahçe
The opening game of the Final Four featured regular-season leaders Olympiacos against defending champions Fenerbahçe.
The game started slowly, with more than two and a half minutes passing before the first points. The first 12 points all came from Olympiacos, while Fenerbahçe fans had to wait more than seven minutes to see their team score. Sarunas Jasikevicius adjusted rotations early, going small with Biberovic at the 4 and Melli at the 5. That group found some success, especially attacking through empty-side PnR.
The start of the second quarter belonged to Olympiacos again. The Greek side opened with an 11-0 run, driven by high-level defense, active hands, and crowded driving lanes. Tyrique Jones’ minutes also allowed Olympiacos to switch everything defensively. Offensively, Alec Peters took over, and his two-man game with Fournier created major problems for Fenerbahçe. Tarik Biberovic answered with back-to-back threes to keep the Turkish side within reach.
Fenerbahçe adjusted at halftime, opening the third quarter with the Zoom set that worked well against Zalgiris, this time with Devon Hall attacking from the action. The set created advantages, but Hall struggled to convert them and had a difficult game overall. Once again, the small-ball lineup gave Fenerbahçe its best moments.
Still, Evan Fournier delivered when it mattered most, hitting timely shots to keep Fenerbahçe at distance and secure the win for Olympiacos.
Fenerbahçe’s overall performance fell short, and their struggles from three played a major role in it.
Valencia vs Real Madrid
The second semi-final was an all-Spanish clash, with Real Madrid facing Valencia.
Real Madrid opened the game looking for Mario Hezonja inside, and he delivered early. Valencia’s offense started to click once Lyles entered the game, with Valencian guards relentlessly targeting him in PnR situations. Scariolo responded with a 3-2 zone, slowing Valencia’s offense while also protecting Trey Lyles defensively. On the other end, Real Madrid continued to attack from the block, while Valencia countered by sending a second defender to the ball.
The first half was played at a blistering pace, with both teams running the floor and converting in transition. Real Madrid also shot 11/19 from three. Combined, it produced the highest-scoring half in EuroLeague Final Four history with 118 points, breaking the previous record of 110.
Out of halftime, Mario Hezonja remained the focal point of Real Madrid’s offense, both inside and as a PnR handler. Scariolo also adjusted the PnR attack, using re-screens to punish Valencia’s coverage and create driving lanes. Defensively, Real Madrid switched everything from 2 through 5, which pushed Valencia into more Pradilla post isolations. While Pradilla produced 15 points and eight rebounds, Valencia’s offense lost rhythm in the second half, with possessions becoming more difficult and forced.
Real Madrid’s size on the wing also pushed coach Pedro Martinez toward lineups with Braxton Key at the 3, something rarely seen during the season and a factor in Valencia’s offensive struggles.
Usman Garuba’s injury with a little over nine minutes remaining could have changed things, but it did not. Real Madrid stayed strong defensively, using pre-switches to keep Trey Lyles out of targeted actions and protecting the paint collectively. Offensively, using Lyles as a pick-and-pop threat unlocked another level and helped close the game.
Real Madrid was the better team over the 40 minutes and deservedly advanced to the final. Their ability to attack the rim and get to the line played a major role: RMB 21/25 FTs; VAL 6/9 FTs.
Final
Olympiacos vs Real Madrid
The game that decided everything. Twenty teams started the season dreaming of reaching this stage, but only Olympiacos and Real Madrid made it, setting up a rematch of the 2023 Final that Los Blancos won in dramatic fashion.
The opening minutes suggested another successful night for the Merengues. Real Madrid jumped out to a 9-1 lead with under three minutes played, switching every action 3 through 5 and disrupting Olympiacos’ offense while denying easy paint touches. Milutinov was the lone bright spot early, generating positive possessions whenever Olympiacos found him inside.
Real Madrid leaned heavily on Trey Lyles in pick-and-pop actions, and the American forward delivered 21 first-half points through shooting, attacking closeouts, and occasional post-ups. Mario Hezonja also became a release valve, attacking smaller wings on the block and giving the offense another layer.
For Olympiacos, Evan Fournier and Alec Peters changed the game off the bench. The duo sparked the comeback and helped the Greeks take their first lead. In the second quarter, Bartzokas relied heavily on 2-4 PnR actions, forcing switches and then attacking them either inside with Peters or from the perimeter with Fournier, who once again delivered timely baskets.
The second half brought adjustments from both teams. Real Madrid focused on involving Mario Hezonja more consistently. Olympiacos leaned into switching to eliminate pick-and-pop opportunities, which limited Trey Lyles to only three points after halftime. Real Madrid responded by targeting Sasha Vezenkov on the perimeter. Their guards repeatedly touched the paint, and with 5-out spacing they forced rotations. Feliz, Maledon, and Abalde also stepped up with key scores.
Milutinov remained crucial offensively for Olympiacos. His presence reshaped the floor, complicated rotations for Real Madrid, and made defensive rebounding difficult. Olympiacos finished with 12 offensive rebounds. Still, the Serbian center did not play in the decisive quarter, with Bartzokas turning to Tyrique Jones instead.
Early on, that decision looked problematic. Olympiacos’ offense lost rhythm and fluidity, but Evan Fournier once again answered with important shots. Olympiacos also went bigger with Sasha, Peters, and Jones to match up with Hezonja at the 3.
Free throws became a major factor late. Olympiacos went 14/16 from the line in the fourth quarter, while Real Madrid shot 6/10.
Olympiacos made some poor late-game decisions and had rebounding issues that nearly cost them the game, but Real Madrid’s shot selection opened the door for Olympiacos to hold on and secure the EuroLeague title.
Bartzokas and Olympiacos finally reached the top, ending the 1st-place curse and conquering Europe on their arch-rival’s home floor.
This article was written by the European Hoops team: Tiago Cordeiro, João Caeiro and André Lemos. Make sure you give us a follow on Twitter at @EthosEuroleague!
- About the Author
- Latest Posts
From the cliffs of Porto Moniz to the forests of Latvia. With a degree in business and a background in finance, I traded balance sheets for projection models, following a lifelong love of the game. I’ve played it, I’ve lived it and I’ve had the privilege of working inside team front offices at both the club and national level.
For over 20 years, I’ve also been immersed in the world of Fantasy Basketball, studying trends, finding edges and living the grind season after season. That passion has brought me here, to SportsEthos, where I’m honored to be part of our management team alongside the great Aaron Bruski. My mission is simple: help SportsEthos thrive as the premier home for Fantasy Sports and sports coverage. A place where users get real value and where every member of the team can sharpen their craft, find joy in the work and build something special that feels like home.
Worldwide Sports Coverage • Fantasy • DFS • Gaming
