Codi Miller-McIntyre scored a season-high 24 points as Olympiacos Piraeus defeated Armani Olimpia Milan 84-78 at SUNEL Arena on Friday, October 30. The win completed a perfect double-round week for Georgios Bartzokas’ team despite several key absences.
The point guard also set season highs with five two-pointers and four three-pointers, shooting 9-of-19 from the field. He scored 10 points in the first quarter and had 18 by halftime, giving Olympiacos an offensive focal point while Jean Montero, Evan Fournier, Tyler Dorsey and John Konchar were unavailable. Nikola Milutinov was also not ready to play.
Miller-McIntyre’s scoring represents a significant change from his opening five EuroLeague appearances, when he averaged 3.4 points. He has averaged 15.5 points over his last four games.
Sasha Vezenkov added 23 points and four rebounds, while Tyson Ward contributed 14 points, three rebounds and three assists. Kostas Papanikolaou scored eight points and recorded three steals.
Olympiacos’ work on the offensive glass helped establish its advantage in the first half. The hosts collected eight offensive rebounds and scored 11 second-chance points before the break, when the teams were tied 44-44.
Milan stayed within reach behind RJ Cole’s 17 points and Moses Wright’s 16. Marko Guduric added 14 points off the bench, but the visitors committed 18 turnovers compared with Olympiacos’ 14.
Vezenkov scored seven consecutive points in the third quarter before Miller-McIntyre’s corner three and Ward’s layup gave Olympiacos a 71-61 lead. Milan cut the deficit to 75-73 with a 10-1 run, but Ward’s work and Vezenkov’s free throws helped the hosts close out the game.
The result moved Olympiacos to 7-2 in the EuroLeague regular season, keeping the team second in the standings behind Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens, also 7-2. Milan dropped to 1-8 and remained 19th.
Olympiacos next hosts Crvena Zvezda on Friday, November 6. Milan welcomes Valencia Basket on Thursday, November 5.
