By Eurohoops Team/ info@eurohoops.net
Comfortably overcoming a sluggish start, Fenerbahce Beko blew out Anadolu Efes, 108-66, to start the best-of-five series Saturday.
Besides getting a 1-0 lead in the Semifinals stage of the Turkiye Sigorta Basketbol Super Ligi Playoffs, the team coached by Greek play-caller Dimitris Itoudis additionally registered the largest margin of victory opposite the Istanbul rival. The previous record was set at 39 points in 2017.
All ten available players scored at least five points with Johnathan Motley securing the game-high 18 points. Nigel Hayes-Davis followed with 15 points, including 4/6 from beyond the arc and highlighting the team total of 17/31 triples. Samet Geyik had 12 points and eight rebounds against his former team. For the visiting side at Ulker Sports Arena, Elijah Bryant posted a 13-point, 10-rebound double-double.
Ergin Ataman’s side actually jumped in a lead covering a large chunk of the first quarter. The home team responded with a 13-0 run for a nine-point advantage early in the second quarter and never looked back.
The list of unavailable players featured Metecan Birsen, Sehmus Hazer, Carsen Edwards, Nemanja Bjelica, Tonye Jekiri, Tyler Dorsey, Devin Booker, and Kostas Antetokounmpo for Fener. At the opposite end, Chris Singleton, Tibor Pleiss, Amath M’Baye, and Bryant Dunston did not dress.
Game 2 between Fenerbahce and Efes will be played at Ulker Sports Arena Monday. Further Semifinals action in Turkey’s top-tier division is coming up with top-seeded Turk Telekom starting the best-of-five series against Pinar Karsiyaka at Ankara Arena tomorrow, Sunday.