By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
Fenerbahce Beko needed a big fourth quarter (29-14) to bring down Merkezefendi at home and get a 79 – 72 win in its last Turkish League game before the EuroLeague playoff series vs. Olympiacos Piraeus. Second-placed Fener improved to 21-5 while Merkezefendi (11th) dropped to 10-16.
Merkzefendi led even by 14 points in the first half while Fener saw head coach Dimitris Itoudis getting ejected with two technical fouls in the second quarter. Fener recovered from its deficit and went up 71 – 69 in the fourth period. The hosts retained an advantage until the end thanks to a 29 – 14 surge in the fourth period.
Nigel Hays-Davis led Fener with 24 points, seven rebounds, five assists and three steals. Melih Mahmutoglu contributed 20 points and Johnathan Motley had 17 points plus eight rebounds for a Fener team that was without Scottie Wilbekin, Carsen Edwards, Devin Booker and Nemanja Bjelica.
Xavier Rathan-Mayes posted 21 points for Merkezefendi. Johnny Hamilton posted 12 points and seven rebounds and Andrew Harrison scored 12.