Turkish League Finals, Game 1: May 25, 2008
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Fenerbahce Ulker moved a step closer to back-to-back Turkish League crowns by trashing Turk Telekom of Ankara 100-72 in front of 8,000 fans at Abdi Ipekci Arena in the opening game of the best-of-seven finals series. Willie Solomon shined for Fener as the motor during a 24-2 run that bridged the second and third periods and put the game out of reach. Solomon finished with 15 points and 7 assists as every Fener player that dressed wound up in the scorebook. Solomon also made an impact with outstanding defense on Telekom's star point guard Khalid El Amin, who was limited to 2 points in the first 22 minutes of action. Tarence Kinsey also scored 15 for the winners, James White and Oguz Savas added 12 apiece and Semih Erden posted a double-double of 10 points plus 10 rebounds. Mirsad Turkcan was also a key figure for Fener with 5 points, 7 rebounds and 5 assists. Erwin Dudley led Telekom with 15 points, Baris Ozcan scored 12 and El Amin finished with 11 for Telekom. Game 2 is set for Tuesday night in Istanbul before heading to Ankara for Games 3 and 4.
The opening minutes of the game were a challenge of sorts between Turk Telekom big man Erwin Dudley and Fener forwards James White and Tarence Kinsey. White put Fener 5 points ahead and Kinsey later made it 23-16. Mirsad Turkcan had the last word for the period with a buzzer-beating fade-away jumper that made it 25-18. Chris Williams's efforts for Telekom, along with Kris Lang, brought the visitors back to within 1, but a 10-2 Fener charge led by Oguz Savas and Omer Onan restored a 36-27 lead. Telekom came right back and a Tutku Acik three-pointer capped 9 unanswered points that tied the game at 36-36 midway through the second period. However that would be the visitors last shining moment as Fenerbahce went on a 17-2 romp led by Kinsey and Willie Solomon to go to the dressing rooms ahead 53-38. The hosts scored the first 7 points of the second half to take a 22-point margin and coasted from that point. The score sat at 75-50 at the end of the third period and an Emir Preldzic layup three minutes into the fourth quarter brought the scoreboard to 84-54. The only question that remained was whether Fener would reach triple figures and that was answered when Rasim Basak's triple in the last minute made it 100-72.
| Finals Playoffs, best of 7 games |
| Record | Team | Game 1 | G. 2 | G. 3 | G. 4 | G. 5 | G. 6 | G. 7 | | 1 | Fenerbahce Ulker(3) | 100 | May27 | May30 | June1 | *- | *- | *- | | 0 | Turk Telekom (4) | 72 | - | - | - | - | - | - |
*In Turkey, if one team won both regular season games between them,
their playoff series begins 1-0 in that team's favor.
| Finals games | | Game 1 | Fenerbahce Ulker vs. Turk Telekom | 100-72 | May 25 | | Game 2 | Fenerbahce Ulker vs. Turk Telekom | - | May 27 | | Game 3 | Turk Telekom vs. Fenerbahce Ulker | - | May 30 | | Game 4 | Turk Telekom vs. Fenerbahce Ulker | - | June 1 | | Game 5 | Fenerbahce Ulker vs. Turk Telekom | - | *- | | Game 6 | Turk Telekom vs. Fenerbahce Ulker | - | *- | | Game 7 | Fenerbahce Ulker vs. Turk Telekom | - | *- |
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Gökhan Türe, Istanbul
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