Saras Jasikevicius's men have now won four of their last five games
Fenerbahce overcomes De Colo, ASVEL for third straight win
Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul remained perfect on the road this season as it fought off a stern challenge from LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne to win 73-77 and pull into a tie for first place. The Turkish side grabbed its third straight win away from home to improve to a 6-2 record. ASVEL has now lost four consecutive games for a 2-6 record.
Nigel Hayes-Davis scored 25 points with 7 rebounds, Marko Guduric had 12 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists and Bonzie Colson chipped in 10 points. The Fenerbahce win had a bitter aftertaste as star guard Wade Baldwin left the game just 3 minutes into the contest with a right hamstring strain and did not play the rest of the way. Nando De Colo looked like he turned back the clock as the 37-year scored 18 points and tied his career high with 11 assists. Shaq Harrison added 11 points in the loss.
Game Videos
Khem Birch opened the game in style with a monster alley-oop dunk for the guests. The home side countered with the next six points. After Baldwin left the game injured, Hayes-Davis stepped up and followed with four points at the other end to start a 0-10 run over nearly 4 minutes to lead 6-12. Joffrey Lauvergne helped ASVEL punch back with four points and David Lighty and Do Colo both had three-pointers in an 11-1 surge to end the first quarter ahead 19-15.
ASVEL had the better start to the second quarter for a 24-17 cushion. Harrison scored two baskets as the lead grew to nine points, 28-19. Harrison added a jumper after a Fenerbahce unsportsmanlike foul and the lead was double figures 31-21. Fenerbahce mounted the next run with 12 straight points bookended by triples from Guduric and Devon Hall to lead 31-33. ASVEL finished the first half strong with the final 5 points and led 36-33 at the break.
Fenerbahce played some tough defense to start the second half and Hayes-Davis put in seven points in a 2-13 run for a 38-46 advantage halfway through the third quarter. De Colo took ASVEL on his back with 11 points in a 14-5 run, including a three-pointer and a jumper after a sweet crossover as the hosts were up 52-51 after 30 minutes.
The back and forth continued in the final quarter with four lead changes in the first 4 minutes - Nicolo Melli with a steal and dunk for Fenerbahce and Maledon making it 61-60 after a three-pointer. Hayes-Davis was not ready to let Fenerbahce lose with eight straight points for a 61-68 cushion. ASVEL had one charge left and Tarik Black made 5 of 6 free throws to pull within 71-72 with 39 seconds left. Guduric was unfazed and had a step-back three-pointer over De Colo for Fenerbahce’s 71-75 lead with 22 seconds to go. And Melli iced the game with two foul shots with 16 seconds remaining.