Euroleague: Istanbul derby and Barcelona woes

Euroleague

Round 22 of the Euroleague season closed on Friday with three games, and each one told its own interesting story. Darussafaka downed Fenerbahce in an Istanbul derby, while Olympiacos used home court advantage to secure a win over Zalgiris Kaunas. Barcelona’s shoddy form continued as the Spanish giant fell at home at the hands of Galatasaray.

Darussafaka Dogus Istanbul vs. Fenerbahce Istanbul, 72-65

Darussafaka stayed strong at home to see off Fenerbahce in this Istanbul derby. The club moved to 11-11 in the middle of the standings and claimed its second win of the season over its city rival. As for Fenerbahce, the club is still firmly in the mix with a winning 14-8 record. This contest was tied 47 apiece through thirty minutes, but Darussafaka hit offensive form with 25 point fourth quarter haul. Ante Zizic grabbed a double-double of 14 points and 10 rebounds in the win, while Brad Wanamaker also doubled up with 11 points and 10 boards for the winners.

Olympiacos vs. Zalgiris Kaunas, 73-64

Olympiacos kept the pressure on Real Madrid near the top of the Euroleague with a solid home workout against Zalgiris Kaunas. The win keeps the Greek team in a 16-6 tie for second place with CSKA Moscow, while Zalgiris drops to 9-13. This was a close game for long spells, with a 35-35 scoreboard through halftime. Olympiacos led by one point at the end of Q3 before pulling away from good as the fourth act wore on.

FC Barcelona vs. Galatasaray Istanbul, 62-69

Barcelona’s woeful Euroleague season continued on Friday. It seems that the club will not turn the corner this season and this is a continental campaign to forget. Barcelona simply looks too inconsistent to mount a serious threat and will be lucky to even progress. After this road humbling by EuroCup champ Galatasaray, Barca sits with an 8-14 record, firmly in the bottom of the table. Galatasaray remains last on 7-15.

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