The team's bench outscored and out-assisted the starters
Roster depth helped Fenerbahce rise to first the standings
Articolo
3 Minuto di lettura
Regular Season
Round 32 of 34
Group Regular Season
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Double-round weeks are often energy-draining, especially taking into account that every game matters in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague. And when the first of the two duels is a rollercoaster of a game like Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul’s clash against Paris Basketball on Tuesday night, coaches need to get help from the bench players in order to clinch back-to-back wins.
The Turkish side needed a Nigel Hayes-Davis buzzer-beating triple to down Paris at home, with their starters scoring 65 of the team’s 101 points on the night. The Fenerbahce forward may have not slowed down on Friday against Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz, but this time it was his team’s depth that made the difference.
Fenerbahce’s bench both outscored (47-35) and out-assisted the starters (10-3), providing the team with much-needed energy on the floor. Seven players netted at least 4 points each off the bench, while Nicolo Melli and Dyshawn Pierre protected the boards with 9 and 8 rebounds, respectively, with Wade Baldwin recording a team-high 5 assists.
More importantly, they covered for Hayes-Davis and Marko Guduric, both of whom were in foul trouble in the closing quarter.
Meanwhile, with Jilson Bango and Khem Birch both missing out, Melli and Sertac Sanli were the only two available bigs for Saras Jasikevicius. When they picked up 2 and 3 fouls, respectively, it was time for Metecan Birsen to step up off the bench. Birsen had played just over one and a half minutes all season heading into Friday’s clash, but his contribution was significant on Friday evening, pairing 4 points with 3 rebounds in 5:19 on the floor.
Fenerbahce completed the double-round week with two straight home wins, moving atop the standings by overtaking Olympiacos Piraeus due to its superior head-to-head record. With two games remaining, the Turkish side need another two wins to clinch the top seed in the playoffs.
“The mentality [for the last two games] will be the same,” Jasikevicius told EuroLeague TV after the game. “We go out, trying to win the game. It’s not only going to the playoffs. It’s going to the EuroLeague Playoffs playing good basketball. And we need to go play EuroLeague playoff basketball, which is one level higher from what we’re doing right now.”
For the time being, Fenerbahce can celebrate that it has mathematically secured home-court advantage heading into the playoffs. Meanwhile, its roster depth will allow it to dream big this season.