Olympians Survive Samurai Surge, Lock Down 86-76 Victory with Clutch Rebounding
Athens Olympians Dominate Boards, Outlast Tokyo Samurai in Gritty Pro League Contest
By Sarah Miller
ATHENS – The Athens Olympians battled through a spirited challenge from the Tokyo Samurai, ultimately securing an 86-76 victory at the Olympic Arena on Saturday night. A fierce rebounding effort, particularly in the crucial final quarter, proved to be the decisive factor as Athens extended their winning streak.
The game was a hard-fought affair from the opening tip. The Samurai, led by a dynamic performance from Rhys Caldwell, kept the Olympians on their toes throughout. Caldwell poured in a game-high 25 points, including a pivotal three-pointer that momentarily swung momentum in Tokyo’s favor midway through the third quarter.
However, the Olympians found their answer on the glass. Sophie Lane was instrumental, contributing 17 points and dishing out 5 assists, but it was her relentless presence on the boards that anchored the Athens effort. Astrid Jensen added a remarkable 13 rebounds, including several defensive stops in the closing minutes that stifled Samurai comeback attempts.
The turning point arrived in the fourth quarter. With the score tightly contested, Chloe Lee’s steal and subsequent three-pointer ignited a crucial run for the Olympians. Hannah Park’s presence in the paint, coupled with Javier Lopez’s steady offensive contributions (13 points), helped Athens create separation.
“We knew they had dangerous scorers, but our focus was on controlling the paint and limiting second chances,” said Olympians Head Coach, Elena Petrova. “Our rebounding was exceptional tonight, and that’s what won us the game.”
Cassian Patel was a force for the Samurai, dishing out 7 assists and grabbing 9 rebounds, but his efforts, along with Caldwell’s scoring, weren’t enough to overcome Athens’ suffocating defense and rebounding dominance.
“It was a tough loss,” admitted Caldwell. “We fought hard, but they outworked us on the boards. We’ll learn from this and come back stronger.”
Key Notes:
- Athens Olympians outrebounded the Tokyo Samurai 63-51, including 18 offensive rebounds.
- Rhys Caldwell led all scorers with 25 points for the Tokyo Samurai.
- Sophie Lane and Javier Lopez were the leading scorers for the Athens Olympians with 17 and 13 points respectively.
- Cassian Patel led the Tokyo Samurai in assists with 7.
- The Athens Olympians shot a concerning 28.6% from the field but capitalized on free throws, shooting 82.8%.