Turkish League, Regular Season, Game 25: March 26, 2008
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Besiktas ColaTurka remained alone atop the Turkish League standings after working hard to beat Kepez Belediyesi on Wednesday, while Efes Pilsen debuted its new signings as it routed Alpella to remain one game back. Preston Shumpert scored 20 in Besiktas’s 62-66 win, which improved the team’s record to 20-5. Kerem Gonlum scored 19 points and grabbed 9 rebounds to lead Efes, while newcomer Craig Bradshaw added 14 points plus 6 boards in their 86-69 victory. Perhaps the most exciting game of the midweek round of action saw defending champion and Euroleague quarterfinalist Fenerbahce Ulker survive ULEB Cup Final Eight participant Galatasaray Cafe Crown’s challenge 76-72. Fener led by as many as 22 in the first half, but Galatasaray’s defense turned the game around leaving the hosts to struggle just to force overtime. But it the end, Willie Solomon sparked Fener to victory. In other games, Bernard King and Lamar Reese scored 19 points each to lead Mersin Buyuksehir Belediyesi to an 82-85 road win at Turk Telekom, Antalya Buyuksehir Belediyesi took a step back in the standings after falling 80-78 at Banvit, Darussafaka climbed out of last place by beating TTNet Beykoz 80-85, Mutlu Aku Selcuk University edged Pinar Karsiyaka 98-97 and CASA TED Kolejliler remained in the thick of the battle for the final playoff spot by beating Oyak Renault 63-68.
Fenerbahce Ulker avenged a loss to Galatasaray Cafe Crown from earlier in the season on Wednesday by dumping its rival 76-72 in overtime. The game, played at Abdi Ipekci Arena in front of 8,000 noisy Fener fans, was an extraordinary one in which Galatasaray came back from a 22-point deficit to take a 5-point lead in the last period, but lose in the additional period. Fener got off to a thunderous start with Emir Preldzic, Gasper Vidmar and Oguz Savas helping build a 21-6 lead just eight minutes into game. Britton Johnsen and Cenk Akyol reduced the difference to 9 points early in the second period, but then came a 13-0 Fener charge capped by Tarence Kinsey’s layup that made it 36-14. In response, Galatasaray turned to a zone defense with Fatih Solak in the middle. That worked for the visitors and Fener started to struggled scoring. Dee Brown's layup ended the first half at 42-28. The tough Galatasaray defense became a wall in the third period and Fener nearly stopped scoring altogether, coming up with just 12 points as the visitors reduced the gap to 3 at one point and went into the last quarter down only 54-50. Fenerbahce couldn't overcome the shocking comeback and Galatasaray took its first lead through Robert Hite midway through the period. Solak and Chris Owens made it 57-62 with 2:30 remaining. However Fener stayed alive with Mirsad Turkcan and Willie Solomon scoring to help force overtime at 66-66. Solomon was having a bad day, but his 4 points in the beginning of the overtime gave a fresh start to the home team and Omer Onan’s free throws made it 75-70, essentially wrapping up the outcome. Solomon led Fener with 11 points, Vidmar and Kinsey had 10 points each and Semih Erden scored 9 and grabbed 10 boards. Galatasaray had five players in double digit as Charles Gaines recorded a double-double with 16 points plus 11 rebounds, Brown and Cuneyt Erden scored 11 each and both Owens and Akyol had 10 points.
Efes Pilsen defeated Alpella 86 - 69 as it also avenge a surprising loss in the first half of the season. Head coach David Blatt’s debuted its new signings, guard Dewarick Spencer and center Craig Bradshaw. Efes took a 23-12 lead after the first period and extended it to 47-36 by halftime. The home team increased the lead to 66-50 at the end of the third quarter and won the game easily. Kerem Gonlum scored 19 points and grabbed 9 rebounds to lead Efes, Bradshaw had 14 points plus 6 boards, Ermal Kuqo had 13 points plus 5 rebounds and both Ender Arslan and Scoonie Penn scored 10 points each. Marshall Strickland scored 20 points and Damien Kinloch added 15 for Alpella.
League-leading Besiktas Cola Turka had some ups and downs in its game, but managed to beat Kepez Belediyesi 62-66 on the road with an impressive defensive game. Preston Shumpert once again led the visitors with 20 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists and 3 steals and Kaya Peker added 16 points for Besiktas. Lorenzo Gordon scored 23 points and grabbed 8 rebounds and Tomislav Ruzic added 14 points and 14 rebounds for Kepez. Turk Telekom lost to MersinBuyuksehir Belediyesi 82-85 at home. Bernard King and Lamar Reese scored 19 points each, Reha Oz had 18, Douglas Fobbs made 11 and Polat Kaya added 10 for Mersin. Kris Lang scored 20, Adem Oren had 17, Bekir Yarangume scored 13 and both Baris Ozcan and Khalid El Amin scored 10 each for Telekom.
LAST GAME GAME 25
March 26, 2008 | | Day | Match | Result | | Mar. 26 | Kepez vs.Besiktas C.Turka | 62-66 | | Mar. 26 | Efes Pilsen vs. Alpella | 86-69 | | Mar. 26 | TTNet vs. Darussafaka | 80-85 | | Mar. 26 | FB Ulker vs. Galatasaray | 76-72 OT | | Mar. 26 | Oyak Renault vs. C. TED | 63-68 OT | | Mar. 26 | Banvit vs. Antalya BSB. | 80-78 | | Mar. 26 | Turk Telekom vs. Mersin | 82-85 | | Mar. 26 | Mutlu Aku vs. Pinar | 98-97 |
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NEXT GAME GAME 26
March 29-30, 2008 | | Day | Match | | Mar. 29 | Kepez Bld. vs. FB Ulker | | Mar. 30 | CASA TED vs. Efes Pilsen | | Mar. 30 | Galatasaray CC vs. TTNet | | Mar. 30 | Darussafaka vs. Turk Tel. | | Mar. 30 | Besiktas C. T. vs. Antalya | | Mar. 30 | Pinar vs. Oyak Renault | | Mar. 30 | Alpella vs. Banvit | | Mar. 29 | Mersin BSB. vs. Mutlu Aku |
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| STANDINGS | TG | W | L | P+ | P- | | 1 | Beşiktaş Cola Turka | 25 | 20 | 5 | 2077 | 1851 | | 2 | Efes Pilsen | 25 | 19 | 6 | 2066 | 1806 | | 3 | Fenerbahçe Ülker | 25 | 17 | 8 | 2012 | 1858 | | 4 | Galatasaray Cafe Crown | 25 | 16 | 9 | 1905 | 1779 | | 5 | TÜRK Telekom | 25 | 16 | 9 | 2243 | 2039 | | 6 | Antalya Bşb. | 25 | 15 | 10 | 1957 | 1940 | | 7 | Pinar Karşiyaka | 25 | 14 | 11 | 2203 | 2150 | | 8 | Kepez Belediye | 25 | 11 | 14 | 1909 | 1924 | | 9 | Casa TED A. Kolejliler | 25 | 11 | 14 | 1911 | 2011 | | 10 | Mersin Büyükşehir Bld. | 25 | 11 | 14 | 1863 | 1941 | | 11 | Banvit | 25 | 10 | 15 | 2008 | 1997 | | 12 | Mutlu Akü Selçuk Üniv. | 25 | 9 | 16 | 1976 | 2159 | | 13 | Oyak Renault | 25 | 9 | 16 | 1658 | 1794 | | 14 | Alpella | 25 | 8 | 17 | 1796 | 1978 | | 15 | Darüşşafaka | 25 | 7 | 18 | 1832 | 2032 | | 16 | TTNet Beykoz | 25 | 7 | 18 | 1867 | 2024 |
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Gökhan Türe, Istanbul
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