Baskonia suffers the best version of Fenerbahce
MADRID, 1 Mar. (EUROPA PRESS) –
Baskonia lost (111-96) this Friday against Fenerbahce on matchday 27 of the Euroleague held at the Ulker Sports and Event Hall in Istanbul, a very demanding match to which Dusko Ivanovic’s team had no response, reflecting what It will be tough to get into the playoffs.
Those from Vitoria, back on the courts 20 days later, endured the exchange of blows until the last quarter. Fenerbahce always had something more, with 19 triples and a good conductor like Nick Calathes (11 points and 12 assists), to knock on the door of the ‘Top 6’ and prevent Baskonia’s promotion.
The Basque team had to warm up by force with a first quarter that ended up being the appetizer of the offensive artillery of the match. Baskonia also endured it without Markus Howard, who committed three fouls in three minutes, but the visitors adapted well to the situation.
Marinkovic and Dani Díez monopolized the success of an initial 32-34, while the Turks distributed the points better. Ivanovic’s men sinned more with losses and, trailing in the second quarter, they maintained equality on the scoreboard with a better role in rebounding. The local brain was Calathes but less expected actors such as Nate Sestina and Amine Noua (55-54) stood out.
After the break, Baskonia came back better and managed to escape, but Fenerbahce returned the set and the match was once again a tremendous exchange of triples. Despite Díez’s best game in the Euroleague, going up to 15 points, or the success of Marinkovic, the local team found the explosion of Tarik Biberovic, with a five of five in triples in the third quarter.
The distribution of blows, with Howard in the Basques but without prominence, left a 78-78 heading into the last quarter, but Baskonia fell behind after the restart. Jasikevicius’ team launched its effort to once again go beyond ten points like in the first half, but Ivanovic’s timeout, with Theodore leaving good minutes, changed the script again.
A three-pointer from Moneke brought the Basques closer (93-89) with less than five minutes remaining, but the return of Calathes and the aim on this occasion from Guduric kept the Turkish lead and Nigel Hayes-Davis escaped in the scoring account as the best (19 points). Fenerbahce thus closed the door on a Baskonia team that remains in the play-in zone but confirmed that it will have to row a lot.
DATASHEET.
–RESULT: FENERBAHCE, 111 – BASKONIA, 96. (55-54, at halftime).
–EQUIPMENT.
FENERBAHCE: Calathes (11), Noua (7), Dorsey (4), Hayes-Davis (19) and Sanli (8) — starting quintet– Guduric (13), Wilbekin (1), Motley (11), Biberovic (17), Papagiannis (6) and Sestina (14).
BASCONY: Miller-McIntyre (8), Marinkovic (18), Ten (15), Moneke (14) and Costello (9) — starting quintet– Howard (4), Kotsar (2), Sedekerskis (9), Theodore (11), Rogkavopoulos (6).
–PARTIALS: 32-34, 23-20, 23-24, 33-18.
–REFEREES: Lottermoser, Hordov and Sukys. No eliminated.
–PAVIL: Ulker Sports and Event Hall.