A combined 56 points were scored by both teams in the final frame
Olivier Hanlan, Kyle Alexander fueled Turk Telekom’s fourth-quarter explosion against Reyer
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The fans at Ankara Spor Salonu might have been feeling a bit jittery 30 minutes into Turk Telekom Ankara’s clash with Umana Reyer Venice on Wednesday night.
Both teams came into Round 17 with an identical 9-7 record, and Reyer was one of the hottest teams in the BKT EuroCup after going 7-2 over its last nine, a run that started with a 75-67 triumph over Turk Telekom back in Round 8. Erdem Can’s squad, meanwhile, had gone 1-2 in their last three games and knew that it was time to step up on their home floor.
Well, things were not exactly going to plan for the hosts through the first three periods. Turk Telekom trailed 49-60 against Reyer entering the final period and the momentum was well and truly in Reyer’s sails, having held a double-digit lead for the majority of the third period.
Ismet Akpinar brought a big roar from the Turk Telekom crowd with a three-pointer to start the fourth, yet Davide Casarin quickly responded for Reyer with a triple of his own to keep the visitors’ 11-point advantage intact. That didn’t affect the hosts, though, as they went on a 14-0 run capped by five straight points by Olivier Hanlan to take their first lead of the game at 66-63. The problem? There was still 6:28 minutes remaining.
Reyer expectedly responded, but Turk Telekom did enough to stay ahead. Clouds began to hover above the arena when former Turk Telekom guard Tyler Ennis drained a three-pointer, his first field goal of the game, to give Reyer a 74-75 edge with 2:33 minutes to go, but Braian Angola, Hanlan and Anthony Brown hit back to put the hosts 80-76 in front with 16 seconds left on the clock. The drama didn’t stop there.
Kyle Wiltjer’s reverse layup with 8.5 seconds remaining made it a one-possession game, so naturally Reyer decided to foul Turk Telekom’s second-worst free-throw shooter, Kyle Alexander. On Wednesday night, though, he was doing pretty well from the stripe after going 5 for 7. With 7.8 seconds left, Alexander kept his cool to convert both free throws, making it 82-78, but Carl Wheatle’s incredible three with 3.2 seconds to go pulled Reyer within one at 82-81. Alexander was purposefully fouled once again, but he put the win on ice by making another couple of free throws with 2.4 seconds remaining, before Ennis’s heave from inside his own court was off the mark.
The final buzzer sounded and there were scenes of jubilation inside Ankara Spor Salonu, with Turk Telekom having outscored Reyer 35-21 in the fourth quarter to come away with an 84-81 triumph. And later on Wednesday night, Hapoel Bank Yahav Jerusalem’s 67-94 dominant win at Cosea JL Bourg-en-Bresse confirmed Turk Telekom’s place in the BKT EuroCup Playoffs.
Just when Turk Telekom’s postseason future was hanging by a thread, it erupted for 35 points – the third time it has netted 35 points in a quarter this season, the second most all-time – to get a crucial victory, one that leaves Reyer needing to go down to the final day to find out if it will be playing playoff basketball in March.
In addition to Alexander’s four free throws in the final 7.8 seconds, Hanlan scored 11 of his 16 total points in the final frame to help fire Turk Telekom to its fourth straight home win.
Coach Can’s men can now officially start prepping for the EuroCup Playoffs, knowing there won’t be any Round 18 drama against Jerusalem next week.