By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
Virtus Segafredo Bologna had the chance to get a big home win, however, Fenerbahce BEKO had Marko Guduric and Nigel Hayes Davis.
They scored 21 and 19 points respectively, and closed the game the right way for an 86-82 win, good enough for an 11-2 record and the top spot of the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague, while Virtus dropped to 2-9.
“Mental health is important, so please everyone message our coach Sarunas Jasikevicius because we need four days off, we do, during the FIBA windows break to refocus, he was very upset the whole game with the way we played,” said Hayes Davis, joking with a straight face in the post-game flash interview and even speaking a bit of Italian after scoring 5/6 threes and the shot that decided the game.
Bonzie Colson added 18 crucial points for Fenerbahce.
On the other hand, Toko Shengelia had 23 points for the losing side, and Ante Zizic added 18, but Virtus couldn’t make the biggest shot of the game in the closing seconds.
A real barn burner
The game was really close in the first half with Fenerbahce leading by one (23-22) after the first quarter and Virtus doing the same at halftime (38-37) despite having just 2/12 threes.
The biggest lead was five points – 20-15 for Fenerbahce – and nothing changed in the third period until Ante Zizic got an unsportsmanlike foul from Nicolo Melli with 3,5 minutes left.
Zizic reached the 17-point mark and made it a six-point game for Virtus (50-44). After a three by Mat Morgan the hosts built for the first time a double-digit lead (58-48).
However, with Colson scoring 16 points and Guduric 12 before the end of the period, Fenerbahce trimmed the lead to four (58-54), Toko answered back with a goal-foul (61-54) and Kem Birch closed the quarter making it a five-point game (61-56).
Virtus’ push continued with Shengelia making a three, reaching 20 personal points and giving the Italians again a 10-point lead (69-59).
Still, not only Fenerbahce didn’t back down but with two minutes left in the game, Tarik Biberovic after getting fouled on a three-pointer tied the game at 77 with three free throws, completing an 18-8 run.
Cordinier made a big three in the next play (80-77) redeeming himself for getting a “T” a bit earlier, but Guduric made one of two free throws (80-78) and with Cordinier on the verge of scoring a layup, Kem Birch managed to stop the ball from getting in.
The Serb sharpshooter made an even bigger three to give Fener the lead (81-80) with 30 seconds left.
Nigel Hayes Davis making it look easy 🧊pic.twitter.com/vT2cahlkVn
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Morgan was fouled, made two (82-81), and Nigel Hayes-Davis with a three (84-82) just 14 seconds before the final buzzer, silenced Bologna.
Alessandro Pajola had an open three and a last chance to win the game, but he missed, Hayes-Davis got the rebound, got fouled, made two (86-82) and the game was over.