Fenerbahce eliminates reigning Euroleague champs
CSKA Moscow and Fenerbahce entered Game 3 of the Euroleague Play-offs with the chance of punching their respective tickets to the Final Four in Madrid. Both clubs were leading their best of five series’ 2-0, but both also faced tricky road encounters in Game 3.
As it was, Monday proved to be a thrilling evening of very tight Basketball action, with both games going to the wire and being decided by a single point. Fenerbahce booked its berth in the Madrid showpiece with a win over Maccabi Tel Aviv away from home. It was an edgy contest, but in victory Fenerbahce Ulker Istanbul eliminated the reigning Euroleague champions.
In the other game, after cruising past Panathinaikos over two games in Moscow, CSKA came unstuck in the Greek capital as the Athens giant prolonged the Play-off series with a hugely important home win.
Maccabi Electra Tel Aviv vs. Fenerbahce Ulker Istanbul, 74-75 (OT)
Defending Euroleague champs Maccabi Tel Aviv fought to the bitter end but ultimately the Israeli powerhouse could not muster a needed win in front of its own fans. That meant that Fenerbahce swept the series to head to the Final Four in spectacular form. The Turkish club has had the better of Maccabi Tel Aviv through the Play-offs, but on Tuesday the Istanbul club was made to sweat through an overtime period.
Maccabi opened the contest strong in a bid to breathe some life back into the series, by the end of ten minutes the hosts held a 20-13 lead and looked in control. Euroleague games can change in an instant though, and so it proved here as Fenerbahce grabbed the initiative in the second quarter. By halftime the visitors had stormed to a 31-37 lead. The scoring slowed in the third quarter, which Tel Aviv snatched 14-13 to make it 45-50 through thirty minutes, still advantage Fener. The home team fought back in the fourth to tie the game 65 apiece at the end of regulation, and the game remained tight in overtime. A tense added period was edged by Fenerbahce 9-10 to start the celebrations for the Turkish team.
Nikos Zisis led Fenerbahce’s qualification push with 19 points, followed by Andrew Goudelock with 15 points, and Jan Vesely with 12 points.
Jeremy Pargo once again kept Maccabi Tel Aviv ticking with a game high 21 points, while Brian Randle had a double-double of 19 points and 10 rebounds.
Panathinaikos Athens vs. CSKA Moscow, 86-85
CSKA Moscow knew victory in Greece on Monday night would mean a Last Four berth confirmed, while Panathinaikos knew a loss would mean elimination and probably heat from the home fans. Through a classy and often tense game the Greek giant managed to edge CSKA, making it 1-2 to the Russians in the series, but breathing new life into Panathinaikos’ Euroleague campaign. With Game 4 also being held in Athens, The Greens will be looking to send the clash to a deciding fifth game.
It went well for CSKA in the first quarter as the visiting team paced to a 14-20 lead at the first split. Panathinaikos responded well and reversed the first quarter score in the second stanza to make it a locked scoreboard at the start of the long break (34-34). It remained tight in the third act as both teams traded buckets, the hosts finally pulling ahead to make it 56-53 after three quarters. In the final frame the baskets rained as both teams went big. CSKA Moscow won the fourth 30-32, but Panathinaikos won the battle to make this series plenty interesting.
Nikkos Pappas stepped up for the winners with 25 points, while shooting five from seven beyond the arc. Pappas was helped by Dimitris Diamantidis with 15 points, Antonis Fotsis with 12 points, and James Gist with 11 points.
The familiar suspects performed well for CSKA, with Sonny Weems leading the way with 24 points. Nando De Colo added 19 points, while Milos Teodosic was good for 12 points, 5 boards, and 9 assists.