Turkish Airlines EuroLeague: Real Madrid falls in Istanbul
Round 24 of the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague is underway, and five games ushered in the week’s action. The Istanbul clubs flexed their muscles, with Galatasaray shocking leaders Real Madrid and Fenerbahce downing Zalgiris on the road. Also tasting away success was Olympiacos, with a win over old foe Maccabi Tel Aviv. Elsewhere, Crvena Zvezda Belgrade remained a force with a win over Brose Bamberg, while Baskonia defeated Milan in Spain.
Zalgiris Kaunas vs. Fenerbahce Istanbul, 67-76
Fenerbahce visited Lithuania and left with a win over Zalgiris Kaunas to move to 16-8 in sole possession of fourth place. Zalgiris on the other hand slips to 10-14, but is still in the top 10. A tight first half saw the home team claim a one-point advantage, 31-30 through the long break. Fenerbahce started turning the screw in the third act and consistent offensive plays let the visitors pull away. Ekpe Udoh led the win with 16 points.
Galatasaray Istanbul vs. Real Madrid, 87-84
In a clash between top and bottom, form went out of the windows as Turkish Airlines Euroleague leaders lost in Istanbul. It capped a poor week for Real Madrid after the club dropped from first place in the Spanish league on the weekend. If CSKA wins tomorrow, it will join Madrid on an 18-6 record in first place. Galatasaray moved away from the bottom clubs with an 8-16 record. The hosts led 49-46 through halftime and the second half saw the quarters split 24-14 each way. Austin Daye scored 20 points in the win.
Crvena Zvezda Belgrade vs. Brose Bamberg, 74-60
Crvena Zvezda maintained its impressive form with a home cruise over struggling Brose Bamberg. The Serbian club moved to 14-10 in sixth place, its excellent Turkish Airlines Euroleague season shows no signs of losing steam. Bamberg’s, on the other hand, has fallen off a cliff and the German club has an 8-16 record. The hosts had carved a 14-point lead at halftime and used a professional game to hold the advantage by the final buzzer.
Editor’s Note: If you want more information about the EuroLeague, or other international leagues, you can check out Court Side’s Game Center.
Maccabi Fox Tel Aviv vs. Olympiacos, 71-82
A clash between two recent Euroleague champs and two clubs with multiple titles went in favour of Olympiacos. The Greek team showed the gulf in class as Tel Aviv’s poor season on the continent continued. In this game, the visitors emerged victorious to move to 17-7 in second place, while Tel Aviv is now joint last at 8-16. Despite never really losing tough, the hosts could never get close to Olympiacos as the guests controlled the rhythm of the game.
Baskonia Vitoria vs. EA7 Emporio Armani Milan, 87-74
Baskonia stopped Milan’s recent resurgence with a solid home win. In victory, the Spanish team maintained its good form this season and moved to 13-11, while Milan’s loss pushes the team back down to the bottom with a 7-17 showing. Shane Larkin grabbed the night’s only double-double with 13 points and 11 assists in the win.