Fenerbahce Istanbul has dethroned reigning EuroLeague champion Panathinaikos Athens. The Turkish team got off to a much better start and never let up.
A first for the EuroLeague: for the first time since the introduction of the Final Four, the two semi-finals and the subsequent final will not be played in Europe. Instead, Abu Dhabi secured the right to host the event. Although the atmosphere couldn’t match the often frenetic atmosphere at EuroLeague home games played by the big traditional clubs, numerous fans, especially from Turkey, had made the long journey.
The start was anything but promising for Panathinaikos. The Greeks struggled to find their rhythm in the first quarter and seemed uninspired on offense. It wasn’t until Matthias Lessort, back on the court after a long injury layoff, entered the game that new energy came onto the court. The center made his physical presence felt and inspired both his teammates and the fans. By that point, however, Fenerbahce had already pulled away. The Turks got off to a flying start, hitting 7 of 11 three-pointers in the first quarter to take an early double-digit lead (22-12).
Nunn brought Panathinaikos back within striking distance
The intensity remained high in the second quarter, but Fener’s shooting percentage dropped significantly. During this phase, it was Kendrick Nunn who took responsibility for Panathinaikos. The former NBA guard kept his Greek team in the game with a personal nine-point quarter, including a layup as the quarter expired. Istanbul’s lead was suddenly down to just five points (33:38).
After the break, the Greek momentum continued at first. Wenyen Gabriel (4) and Kendrick Nunn (19) reduced the deficit to one point (37:38) after just two minutes. However, Fenerbahce did not let that rattle them. Errick McCollum (13) scored six points in a row under the watchful eye of his NBA brother CJ. They went into the final quarter with a seven-point lead (55:48).
And here, too, the Istanbul team remained the better side. Thanks in part to the strong Devon Hall (18 points), the Turks pulled away from their opponents by ten points at one stage. Panathinaikos’ top scorer Cedi Osman (22, 7/14) fought in vain against defeat.
Fenerbahce Istanbul’s opponent in the final will be decided in the second semi-final, which starts at 8 p.m. Daniel Theis and his AS Monaco team will face regular season winners Olympiacos Piraeus. The final will take place in two days, on Sunday.