By Aris Barkas/ barkas@eurohoops.net
Besiktas finished the season the way they started it. The team that made global headlines last summer by signing NBA all star Deron Williams, won – without him – the Turkish cup, the Eurochallenge and finally the Turkish championship.
With Carlos Arroyo having a great game with 18 points, 5 rebounds and 8 assists and Zoran Erceg adding 15 points, Besiktas won the league for the first time since 1975. Turkish forward Ersin Dagli had also 15 points in the Game 6 win against Anadolu Efes (4-2). The final score was 80-76 for Besiktas, it was a close game with Kerem Tunceri scoring 22 points and two very big threes for the loosing side. At the same time, former NBA player Sasha Vujasic scored just 4 points, took only four shots and missed the three that could tied the game at 79-79 in the end.
However, the night belonged to Besiktas and to 46 years old coach Ergin Ataman who had the best season of his career. “Maybe I am a part of the football team”, he joked when he was asked about the plans for next season and that can be a sign about the long rumored merge of Besiktas with Anadolu Efes, but also a complain about the priorities of the club that are football oriented.