Turkish League, Regular Season, Game 18: January 25-27, 2008
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Turk Telekom returned to the top of the Turkish League standings by beating Oyak Renault, while previous leader Galatasaray Cafe Crown was upset by Alpella. Khalid El Amin scored a game-high 24 points and dished 6 assists to lead Turk Telekom to a 61-75 win in Bursa, which improved its record to 14-4. However four teams – Efes Pilsen, Fenerbahce Ulker, Galatasaray and Besiktas ColaTurka – sit close behind with 13-5 marks. Telekom’s lead will already be challenged next week when it hosts perennial powerhouse Efes Pilsen, a 90-67 winner this week as Drew Nicholas scored 21 points and Kerem Gonlum registered a double-double with 11 points, 11 rebounds plus 5 assists. Alpella provided the surprise of the weekend by shocking Galatasaray 81-78 as Serhat Cetin and Marshall Strickland combined for 41 points. Defending champion Fenerbahce Ulker took revenge for a loss to Banvit in Istanbul by winning in Bandirma 66-76 thanks to Willie Solomon’s 18 points and 8 assists. Besiktas ended a two-game losing streak by defeating Mutlu Aku Selcuk University 100-95 in overtime. Preston Shumpert led Besiktas with 33 points and 8 rebounds and Kaya Peker had 25 points, 8 rebounds and 6 steals. In other games, Antalya Buyuksehir Belediye downed Kepez Belediye 73-64 thanks to Ricardo Marsh’s 21 points, Quinton Hosley shined with 28 points, 11 rebounds and 8 assists as Pinar Karsiyaka topped Mersin Buyuksehir Belediyesi 86-78 and CASA TED Kolejliler edged Darussafaka 67-65 behind 19 points and 15 rebounds from Ivan McFarlin.
Alpella shocked leaders Galatasaray Cafe Crown 81-78, bringing its city rivals down from the top of the standings in the most surprising result of this weekend’s Turkish Basketball League action. Murat Kaya points helped Galatasaray take the first quarter 18-19 and Chris Owens pushed the visitors to a 37-41 halftime lead. Alpella increased its pressure on Galatasaray in the third quarter and got points from Marshall Strickland and Serhat Cetin to move ahead 62-59 after 30 minutes. There was a real figth to win the game in the last period. Alpella led 75-74 entering the last minute. Hasan Ozkan and Strickland kept the hosts on top by making their free throws as Alpella snatched the win. Cetin lead Alpella with 21 points, Strickland scored 20, Serkan Inan had 11 and the newly signed James Hughes collected a double-double with 11 points plus 11 rebounds.
Turk Telekom returned to the top of the standings by beating Oyak Renault 61-75 in Bursa to improve its record to 14-4. Turk Telekom led the game from the beginning, going ahead 10-18 at the end of the first quarter and 25-43 by halftime with most of the scoring coming from Khalid El Amin and Erwin Dudley. There was no real threat from Oyak to Turk Telekom both in the second half. El Amin scored a game-high 24 points and dished 6 assists, Chris Williams had double-double with 13 points and 14 rebounds and Dudley scored 16 and grabbed 7 boards for Telekom. Monwell Randle scored 18 and Lamont Woolridge added 14 for Renault.
Defending champion Fenerbahce Ulker took revenge for a loss to Banvit in Istanbul by winning in Bandirma 66-76. After a narrow first half, Fener improved its defense in the second quarter while finding fast-break points by Omer Onan, Omer Asik, Willie Solomon and Emir Preldzic to lead 31-43 at halftime. Fener extended the lead to 14 points at the end of the third quarter with Tarence Kinsey and Asik scoring inside. Banvit tried to comeback in the last quarter, but Solomon, Rasim Basak and Demir Kaan stood against the pressure of the home team while Solomon hit a triple increase the lead to 56-76 with three minutes remaining. The hosts finished with a 10-0 charge, but it would be too little, too late, as Fener earned the win. Solomon led Fener with 18 points and 8 assists, Omer Asik had 10 points and 3 blocked shots and both Onan and Gasper Vidmar scored 9. Donnell Harvey scored 19 and grabbed 10 rebounds for Banvit.
Efes Pilsen trashed city rivals TTNet Beykoz 90-67. The pulled away in the second period to take a 45-35 halftime lead. Efes then made a quick start to the second quarter with Drew Nicholas, Andre Hutson and Ender Arslan, increasing the lead to 23 points at the end of the third quarter – which proved to be the winning margin. Nicholas finished with 21 points, Kerem Gonlum registered a double-double with 11 points, 11 rebounds plus 5 assists, Loren Woods and Hutson scored 12 each and Arslan added 10 points. Clarence Gilbert scored 28 for Beykoz.
Besiktas ColaTurka ended a two-game losing streak by defeating Mutlu Aku Selcuk University 100-95 in overtime at Istanbul Akatlar Cola Turka Arena. Besiktas started strong with a 31-16 first period, but defensive problems stopped them from defending the lead in the second quarter. Still Preston Shumpert kept Besiktas ahead 52-45 at halftime. Besiktas struggled in the third quarter and the visitors reduced the difference to a single point, 64-63. Kaya Peker and Predrag Drobnjak tried to keep Besiktas ahead, but Kevin Braswell and Deshon Farley points ended the regular time at 83-83. Shumpert, Peker and Rick Apodaca carried Besiktas in the additional five minutes for a 17-12 lead as the home team won 100-95. Shumpert led Besiktas with 33 points and 8 rebounds, Peker had 25 points, 8 rebounds and 6 steals, Rick Apodaca scored 18 points and Drobnjak 11 for Besiktas. Braswell had 22, Farley 21 and Warren Carter scored 19 and grabbed 10 rebounds for Selcuk University.
LAST GAME GAME 18
January 25-27, 2008 | | Day | Match | Result | | Jan. 27 | Banvit vs.Fenerbahce Ulker | 66-76 | | Jan. 26 | CASA TED vs. Darussafaka | 67-65 | | Jan. 26 | Efes Pilsen vs. TTNet | 90-67 | | Jan. 26 | Alpella vs. Galatasaray | 81-78 | | Jan. 26 | Oyak vs. Turk Telekom | 61-75 | | Jan. 26 | Antalya BSB. vs. Kepez | 73-64 | | Jan. 26 | Pinar Karsiyaka vs. Mersin | 86-78 | | Jan. 25 | Besiktas C. Turka vs. Aku | 100-95 |
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NEXT GAME GAME 19
February 1-3, 2008 | | Day | Match | | Feb. 2 | Mersin vs. Besiktas C. Turka | | Feb. 2 | Kepez Bld. vs. Alpella | | Feb. 3 | TurkTelekom vs.Efes Pilsen | | Feb. 1 | Galatasaray vs. CASA TED | | Feb. 3 | Antalya vs. Fenerbahce | | Feb. 2 | Mutlu Aku vs. Oyak Renault | | Feb. 2 | TTNet Beykoz vs. Banvit | | Feb. 2 | Darussafaka vs. Pinar |
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| STANDINGS | TG | W | L | P+ | P- | | 1 | TÜRK Telekom | 18 | 14 | 4 | 1645 | 1413 | | 2 | Fenerbahçe Ülker | 18 | 13 | 5 | 1462 | 1349 | | 3 | Beşiktaş Cola Turka | 18 | 13 | 5 | 1507 | 1366 | | 4 | Galatasaray Cafe Crown | 18 | 13 | 5 | 1394 | 1267 | | 5 | Efes Pilsen | 18 | 13 | 5 | 1492 | 1314 | | 6 | Pinar Karşiyaka | 18 | 12 | 6 | 1573 | 1500 | | 7 | Antalya Bşb. | 18 | 11 | 7 | 1389 | 1407 | | 8 | Banvit | 18 | 8 | 10 | 1422 | 1380 | | 9 | Kepez Belediye | 18 | 8 | 10 | 1342 | 1365 | | 10 | Mersin Büyükşehir Bld. | 18 | 8 | 10 | 1326 | 1382 | | 11 | Alpella | 18 | 7 | 11 | 1302 | 1407 | | 12 | Oyak Renault | 18 | 6 | 12 | 1188 | 1305 | | 13 | TTNet Beykoz | 18 | 5 | 13 | 1304 | 1434 | | 14 | Mutlu Akü Selçuk Üniv. | 18 | 5 | 13 | 1414 | 1566 | | 15 | Casa TED A. Kolejliler | 18 | 5 | 13 | 1368 | 1484 | | 16 | Darüşşafaka | 18 | 3 | 15 | 1259 | 1448 |
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Gökhan Türe, Istanbul
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