By Eurohoops Team/ info@eurohoops.net
Improved defense after the break settled Fenerbahce Beko on a winning track in the friendly Mercedes-Benz Arena. Securing the 91-82 victory against ALBA Berlin marked a fourth win in as many outings with Sarunas Jasikevicius in charge.
“A huge thank you for the Fenerbahce fans,” mentioned the Lithuanian head coach, “Playing on the road and feel almost like at home. You have to appreciate that, be thankful for the people coming and supporting us, like here in Berlin.”
Entering with nine straight double-digit scoring showings in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague, Johannes Thiemann was limited to eight points and 2/7 field goals on Friday.
Holding the German side to 12 points in the third quarter opened a double-digit advantage. Marching to a third straight EuroLeague win improved the overall record to 9-7.
Scottie Wilbekin tallied 20 points, a new season-high. Besides connecting 7/14 from the field, he recorded six assists, three rebounds, and one steal. A performance index rating of 22 was a game-high in the Round 16 contest. “It definitely helps when you feel support from the crowd,” he commented on thousands of fans of Fener in the Berlin venue.
“We had to control our turnovers. We did not do a very good job in the first half. I think we did a better job in the second half. And limit them in transition. They like to run a lot,” the experienced guard painted the picture of the second win in eight road games over the 2023-24 Regular Season.
Returning to action after nearly three weeks on the sidelines, Giorgos Papagiannis followed with 15 points. Johnathan Motley and Tyler Dorsey added 14 and 12 points, respectively. The all-time assists leader in the EuroLeague, Nick Calathes dropped 13 dimes in Germany.
Struggling to score opposite the defense of Fenerbahce, Thiemann packing four rebounds, three assists, and two steals shaped a team-high PIR of 14 to extend the double-digit streak to ten games. Sterling Brown registered a team-high of 15 points.
“ALBA played exactly the basketball we expected and succeeded against us in many ways. They forced many turnovers. They got us out of the system a little bit. But every time we were a little bit solid and trying to play our game, we were making runs. We were very good,” noted Jasikevicius.
“They played very well,” his counterpart Israel Gonzalez congratulated the team led by Saras, “They scored a lot of shots, a lot of difficult shots as well. We played good in some stretches and not so good in others, but I am proud of the job we did.”
Marcus Eriksson (foot), Louis Olinde (illness), and Ziga Samar (foot) were out with the Albatrosse dropping to 3-13. Jonas Mattisseck and Kresimir Nikic did not play. For the Istanbul outfit, Metecan Birsen (knee) and Raul Neto (knee) remained sidelined alongside healthy scratches Melih Mahmutoglu and Sehmus Hazer.
Meeting of crosstown rivals
Returning to the Turkiye Sigorta Basketbol Super Ligi, Fener visits Darussafaka Lassa and hopes to go up to 10-3 on Monday before the continental matchup with Anadolu Efes on Thursday. The Berlin outfit does not play in Germany’s easyCredit BBL before Round 17 of the EuroLeague Regular Season and Olympiacos visiting Germany’s capital on Friday.
Photo Credit: EuroleagueBasketball.net