By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
Following the Crete International Basketball Tournament 2025 in Heraklion, Giorgos Bartzokas updated the roster status of Olympiacos, heading to the start of the 2025-26 Regular Season of the EuroLeague and domestic competitions in Greece.
“We need a guard immediately and we are working towards this direction,” stressed the 60-year-old head coach of the Reds.
“All the guards are fighting over who will come to Olympiacos,” he added jokingly, referring to recent reports linking his side to several potential additions, “It is a difficult period. Obviously, the staff is working towards this direction and as coaches we are considering the available options in the market. In any case, we must immediately get a guard because we are under pressure in relation to initial team plans.”
With the preseason completed, Olympiacos is switching to official fixtures, starting from Greece’s Stoiximan Super Cup 2025 and a meeting with Karditsa Iaponiki in Rhodes on Friday. A win would clinch a berth in the Final on Saturday against AEK or Promitheas Vikos Cola. On to EuroLeague, Baskonia in Fernando Buesa Arena on September 30 and Real Madrid in Movistar Arena on October 2 emerge as the challenges in an opening double-game week. In Round 1 of the Stoiximan GBL, an away game versus Maroussi on October 5 starts the domestic league schedule.
“Our early schedule is demanding. We need a guard immediately and are focused on those efforts. On Koumadje, we will make a joint decision later. We did not have any time to consider his case,” mentioned Bartzokas about the search for a guard delaying a decision on possibly keeping 29-year-old center Khalifa Koumadje beyond his preseason contract.
With Keenan Evans on the injury list, Evan Fournier, Thomas Walkup, Saben Lee, Tyler Dorsey, and Giannoulis Larentzakis shape the current guard lineup. Tyson Ward, Shaquielle McKissic, Kostas Papanikolaou, and Omiros Netzipoglou cover the small forward position, while Sasha Vezenkov and Alec Peters are projected as main options for the four position. Nikola Milutinov, Donta Hall, and Kostas Antetokounmpo are available for the five position.