By Eurohoops Team/ info@eurohoops.net
After missing the 2023 Finals, Fenerbahce Beko is back for the next championship series of the Turkiye Sigorta Basketbol Super Ligi.
Behind closed doors in BJK Akatlar Arena, the Yellow Canaries took down Besiktas Emlakjet, 86-77, and completed a 3-0 sweep on Monday.
From an 11-point advantage in the first quarter and carrying a double-digit lead into the second period, the reigning ING Turkiye Kupasi champions dug their way out of an eight-point hole in the fourth quarter. Sealing the series-clinching win, Nick Calathes tucked in two late three-pointers. Besides netting eight of his 14 points over the last ten minutes, the experienced floor general neared a triple-double with nine assists and seven rebounds.
Pushing for a comeback with six points in the fourth quarter, Nigel Hayes-Davis ended up with 21 points, wrapping up a best-of-five series of the domestic league’s Playoffs. The former Wisconsin standout connected 8/12 from the field. Sertac Sanli added 17 points and seven rebounds.
Heading to a best-of-five series opposite top-seeded Anadolu Efes, Fener sidelined Johnathan Motley, Amine Noua, Yigit Hamza Mestoglu, Marko Guduric, Tyler Dorsey, Yam Madar, Nate Sestina, and Raul Neto in Game 3 of the Semifinals.
In the final showing for the team coached by Dusan Alimpijevic in the 2023-24 campaign, Marko Simonovic set his season-high at 21 points. Jonah Mathews had 16 points, eight rebounds, and seven assists. Berk Ugurlu and Angel Delgado were inactive.
BSL Playoffs
Quarterfinals (best-of-three)
Anadolu Efes – Turk Telekom 2-0 (99-79, 86-78)
Pinar Karsiyaka – Galatasaray Ekmas 2-1 (95-96, 90-87, 97-82)
Fenerbahce Beko – Aliaga Petkimspor 2-0 (102-72, 100-87)
Besiktas Emlakjet – Manisa 2-0 (92-74, 83-74)
Semifinals (best-of-five)
Anadolu Efes – Pinar Karsiyaka 3-0 (103-80, 82-68, 97-90)
Fenerbahce Beko – Besiktas Emlakjet 2-0 (96-88, 98-72, 86-77)
Finals (best-of-five)
Anadolu Efes – Fenerbahce Beko 0-0