By Eurohoops team / info@eurohoops.net
Despite putting on an unprecedented show in the first half, ASVEL couldn’t keep up the rhythm later in the game, suffering the fourth straight defeat of this year’s EuroLeague Regular Season against Fenerbahce, who came out victorious at home with a 15-point margin (101-86).
The Greek mastermind Nick Calathes inspired the yellow-and-blue team in the third quarter’s comeback, ending the game by flirting with a triple-double: 7 points, 8 rebounds, 9 assists – with 0 turnovers -, and 2 steals.
“We didn’t play any defense in the first half, and the coach had some good words for us in the locker room. We played basketball in the second half, and the defense was huge. A lot of guys stepped up, we’re tough to beat on these occasions. My teammates made it easy for me”, Fenerbahce’s number 33 said after contributing to the victory.
Scottie Wilbekin was his team’s highest scorer of the night with 18 points, coming off the bench. Dimitris Itoudis trusted Nigel Hayes-Davis and Marko Guduric by putting them both on the starting lineup, and they repaid him with 14 points each, while Johnathan Motley powered up on the glass with 15 points and 5/6 from two points.
“We needed to have a defensive mindset, we had to win this game defensively. We needed to make stops because you can play in this EuroLeague thinking you are the favorite: you gotta be focused and respect each and every one. We managed to set the right tone”, Dimitris Itoudis commented in the post-game flash interview.
Tarik Biberovic also contributed with 17 points and 5/8 from beyond the arc. “Amazing feeling, thanks to our fans who were really behind us even though we started really bad in the first half. That’s the reason why we won: we stepped up with the energy in the second half. It’s on us to stay ready: glad I’m doing my best right now, and I will continue like this during the season”, the 22-year-old said.
On ASVEL’s losing side, Frank Jackson played the best game of his EuroLeague rookie season so far, scoring 25 points with 5/5 from two-point range. Playing against his former team, Joffrey Lauvergne had 11 points, 3 rebounds, and 5 assists. “We had a good lead, but then we lost Paris Lee due to foul problems. After that it was difficult, we knew the energy was going to be high”, TJ Parker admitted after the loss.
Later on, the French head coach addressed his situation on ASVEL’s bench when asked if he had the feeling this could have been his last game with the team. “We will see. I haven’t got a phone call yet. Whatever happens, happens. My job is to prepare the team for the next game. If I get the phone call, we’ll see. I don’t know. Right now, I haven’t heard anything. I am just focusing on the next game”, he replied.
Scoring seven of its team’s first nine points, the former Fenerbahce big man Joffrey Lauvergne led ASVEL’s impressive start, which rapidly brought the away team up 21-8 with less than three minutes to play in the first quarter. The French side kept pushing even in the second quarter, finding the highest lead of the game thus far with Paris Lee’s deep three to go up by 18 points (43-25) midway through the second.
From then on, Fenerbahce first tried to bounce back with a 7-0 run forcing TJ Parker’s timeout, but then Frank Jackson happened: 11 straight points to push ASVEL finding once more a comfortable 13-point lead (55-42) at halftime. Before heading to the locker room, the Turkish crowd in the Ulker Sports And Event Hall covered the refereeing trio with boos following what looked like controversial calls, which led to Dimitris Itoudis receiving a technical foul with 00:32 seconds left in the second.
Nick Calathes entered the second half in the best way possible, stealing and sharing the ball while scoring five points in his team’s comeback attempt, helping to cut the margin to five points (61-56), as Tarik Biberovic scored in fastbreak with 5:42 on the clock. Marko Guduric extended the run to 8-0 banking in a corner three-pointer, and ASVEL seemed to not know how to score anymore when Mike Scott banked in a crazy three on one leg.
Fenerbahce found its first lead (67-66) of the game thanks to Johnathan Motley, who wasn’t having an inspiring night, from the free-throw line at 1:35 before the fourth. From then on – starting with Nigel Hayes-Davis from beyond the arc immediately afterward -, they never slowed down, running away late in the last quarter with Scottie Wilbekin, Yam Madar, Tarik Biberovic, and finally the American center scoring from deep.
PHOTO CREDIT: Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul