We are going to 'seal' qualification to the F4 ALL TOGETHER at the SEF!
Olympiacos put up a hard fight in Istanbul in order to 'secure' his ticket to the Final 4 in Kaunas but failed to do so. The team lost the 4th playoff game to Fenebahce 73-69 and now everything will be decided in Tuesday's game (09/05, 20:30 CET) at the SEF.
For yet another game, the pressing defense by the Turkish team stopped our team's facilitation, although, thanks to its own good defensive game, was able to maintain balance (17-17 at 9'). With Kostas Sloukas and Shaquielle McKissic running the offense, the 'red & whites' got a 4p. lead (23-27 at 14'), however, Edwards was the absolute protagonist of Fenerbahce's 9-0 streak, which gave the hosts a 5p. lead (32-27 at 18'0. Our team's reflexes were sharp though. With pressing defense, they led the home team to consecutive turnovers, replied with a 6-0 of their own and closed the first quarter with a narrow lead (32-33).
Moustapha Fall made a strong entrance into the 3rd quarter (38-43 at 24'), but he made his 3rd foul at 15' and coach Bartzokas had to bench him. Thanks to Isaiah Canaan, Olympiacos continued being in the lead (44-49 up to 27'), but the 'red & whites' turnovers and Hayes' long-range shooting allowed Fenerbahce to get back with a 10-0 streak and hence get in the driver's seat with +5 (54-49) at 32'. Our team's reply, however, was once again immediate... They put pressure in defense, struck in offence with McKissic and got ahead 56-58 at 34'.
Neither did the hosts give up though... They took advantage of the bad decisions Olympiacos was making, got to strike from the three-point line with Pierre and built a 7p. lead (73-66) at 39', which despite Shaquielle McKissic's heroic efforts, proved to be irreversible.
The quarters: 18-17, 32-33, 48-49, 73-69.
FENER
OLY
