Writing from Berlin: Nikos Varlas/ varlas@eurohoops.net
Laboral Kutxa made a valiant effort, but in the end the debth and quality of Fenerbahce made all the difference. The team of Zeljko Obradovic is preparing for its first ever Euroleague final after getting the overtime 88-77 win.
Thanks to a 11-2 in the extra five minutes (81-74) the Turks dominated the tired players of coach Perasovic and got what they wanted. Bogdan Bogdanovic with 18 points, Luigi Datome with 15, Ekpe Udoh and Jan Vesely with 14 points each and Kostas Sloukas with 13 points, 7 assists and 5 renbounds were the leaders of the winners. Giannis Bourousis on the otger side had one more amazing game (22 p., 10 r.), Darius Adams scored 19 points and Kim Tillie added 13.
Fenerbahce got to a great 15-4 start in the game, but Laboral Kutxa was read for a big game and the Spaniards delivered. At the end of the period and despite a 23-15 lead for the team of Obradovic, the entrance of Bourousis in the game changed everything.
Fenerbahce had just a one point advantage at half time and at the end of the third quarter thanks to an amazing backboard three by Bourousis, Laboral Kutxa was up by two (57-55). Adams had already scored 16 points, while Datome had 12 points for Fenerbahce.
The Greek center started the last period with one more big shot (59-55) and Laboral Kutxa took the momentum and the advantage. A fired up Vesely cut the lead to one (66-65) with five minutes left, but Laboral kept its calm and entered the last minute leading be 71-67. Datome answered with a three (71-70), Adams made 1/2 free throws and Sloukas tied the game (72-72) with 25 seconds left. No one scored after that and everything was decided in overtime.