Olympiakos beats Real Madrid 92-85 to win EuroLeague title

ATHENS, Greece (AP) — Olympiakos clinched the EuroLeague basketball title on Sunday, beating Real Madrid 92-85 despite a late stretch of mistakes.

Alec Peters hit the final free throw as Olympiakos secured its fourth continental crown, sparking wild celebrations at the Telekom Center in Athens and across the Greek capital.

“Blessed is the only word I have,” the American-born Peters said. “After four years of blood, sweat and tears with this group ... it's hard to describe how I feel.”

Playing in front of a home crowd, Olympiakos overcame a sluggish start. It fell behind 15-3 in the opening four minutes before rallying to take a 46-44 lead at halftime. Evan Fournier sparked the comeback with an 11-point burst in the second quarter.

Olympiakos later struggled with turnovers and briefly fell behind a more composed Real Madrid side. NBA veteran Trey Lyles led the injury-hit Spanish club with 24 points, while Fournier paced Olympiakos with 20.

“We suffered tonight with Real Madrid, they played an excellent game,” Olympiakos coach Georgios Bartzokas said. “I think we deserved it after the way we played all year.”

Real coach Sergio Scariolo said Real came close to an upset late in the game.

“In the last seconds we missed a change to tie the game, unfortunately,” he said. “We fought against a very, very great team – a powerhouse. I give them credit but I'm very, very proud of how we played. And we'll be back.”

Greek NBA star Giannis Antetokounmpo watched the game.

Olympiakos reached the final after a 79-61 semifinal win over defending champion Fenerbahçe on Friday, while Real Madrid advanced with a 105-90 victory over Valencia.

As celebrations broke out in Athens and at the nearby port of Piraeus, where Olympiakos is based, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis congratulated the winners.

“The top of the EuroLeague has been painted in red and white,” he wrote in an online post, referring to the team's colors. “Warm congratulations to Olympiakos on this great achievement.”

Thousands of fans packed into the main square at the port of Piraeus, with crowds dancing in celebration and holding up red flags and flares.

“The feeling is even better than I imagined,” Fournier said. “The celebrations will go on beyond tonight, that’s for sure.”

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Greece's basketball head coach Vasileios Spanoulis, left, speaks with Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks next to the Oscar nominated director Yorgos Lanthimos during the Euroleague final basketball match between Olympiacos and Real Madrid in Athens, Greece, Sunday, May 24, 2026. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)

Olympiacos' Evan Fournier celebrates after winning the Euroleague final basketball match against Real Madrid in Athens, Greece, Sunday, May 24, 2026. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)

Olympiacos' Thomas Walkup elebrates after winning the Euroleague final basketball match against Real Madrid in Athens, Greece, Sunday, May 24, 2026. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)

Olympiacos' Evan Fournier drives to the basket against Real Madrid's Andres Feliz during the Euroleague final basketball match between Olympiacos and Real Madrid in Athens, Greece, Sunday, May 24, 2026. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)

Olympiacos' Kostas Papanikolaou lifts the trophy after winning the Euroleague final basketball match against Real Madrid in Athens, Greece, Sunday, May 24, 2026. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)

CONCORD, N.C. (AP) — Auto racing's biggest day became a Memorial Day weekend tribute to NASCAR racing great Kyle Busch from Indianapolis to Charlotte Motor Speedway.

Busch died Thurday at 41 after severe pneumonia progressed into sepsis, resulting in rapid and overwhelming complications, according to a statement released by his family, and his loss sent shockwaves through the motorsports world and beyond.

At the Coca-Cola 600 — a race Busch won in 2018 — NASCAR and Charlotte Motor Speedway honored the two-time Cup Series champion with a large, black No. 8 and his signature on the frontstretch grass and a photo on the videoboard.

The U.S. Army Golden Knights planned to carry Busch's flag prior during pre-race festivities following a moment of silence. Each of the 39 cars in field will carry Busch's decal. And, the speedway's public address system and the television commentators plan to go silent on the eighth lap of the race.

There may be other undisclosed tributes planned as well, per track officials.

On Saturday night, Layne Riggs celebrated his Trucks Series win at CMS by doing one of Busch's traditional bows to the crowd after the race, and Ross Chastain did the same after capturing the rain-shortened O'Reilly Auto Parts race.

NASCAR CEO Steve O'Donnell called Busch “an American badass.”

“When you think race car driver and what that person should be like, Kyle Busch is probably one of the first that comes to your mind on the type of racer he was," Cup Series driver Joey Logano said.

Fans at CMS arrived in droves with shirt to honor Busch that read “Rowdy” and “KFB.”

Earlier in the day at the Indianapolis 500, Dale Coyne Racing changed the font of Romain Grosjean's No. 18 car to replicate the font the two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion and two-time Brickyard 400 winner used during his 14 seasons with Joe Gibbs Racing in his No. 18 car.

Then came the opening prayer, in which Busch was mentioned by name. And on Lap 18, race officials lit up the scoring pylon next to pit lane with Busch's name, his birth year and 2026.

Even with the pageantry of Indianapolis' big IndyCar race, Busch, who had a record 234 victory across NASCAR’s three national series, was never far from the thoughts of people in the city that dubs itself the “Racing Capital of the World.” The father of two died Thursday at age 41 from what his family said was severe pneumonia that progressed into sepsis.

“It’s desperately sad. It’s also one of those things where you try not to think about it or let it in because you’ve got so much to do, you can’t let yourself get emotional,” Katherine Legge said Friday after returning to Indianapolis Motor Speedway. “But honestly, racing has lost one of the greatest drivers, in my opinion, of all time. If you look back at the history and just — he was a legend.”

As Indy held its biggest race of the year, those who knew or competed against Busch raced with a heavy heart.

“How can you not be in shock over the situation?” two-time Indy winner Josef Newgarden said Friday. “I think it just puts into perspective how fragile life is. You just don’t know. Makes me think of his kids, to be honest with you. Gosh, I feel terrible about — I have two sons now. That’s the thing that breaks my heart.”

AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing

A decal is displayed on Denny Hamlin's car in honor of late driver Kyle Busch prior to a NASCAR Cup Series auto race, Sunday, May 24, 2026, in Charlotte, N.C. (AP Photo/Matt Kelley)

Helicopters fly over the field on the parade lap before the Indianapolis 500 auto race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indianapolis, Sunday, May 24, 2026. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

A decal is displayed on the on the truck of Andres Perez De Lara in honor of the late driver Kyle Busch, Friday, May 22, 2026, in Charlotte, N.C. (AP Photo/Matt Kelley)

Fighter jets fly over the Indianapolis Motor Speedway during ceremonies before the start of the Indianapolis 500 auto race, Sunday, May 24, 2026 in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/AJ Mast)

FILE - Kurt Busch waits in his car before practice for Sunday's NASCAR Sprint Cup series Coca-Cola 600 auto race at Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord, N.C., Saturday, May 25, 2013. (AP Photo/Mike McCarn, File, File) CORRECTION: Driver ID corrected to Kurt Busch, not Kyle Busch.