Fenerbahçe Beko beat Panathinaikos to top EuroLeague

ISTANBUL - Anadolu Agency

Turkish Airlines EuroLeague leaders Fenerbahçe Beko beat Greece's Panathinaikos OPAP 85-66 Friday at home.

The Istanbul giants' Nicolo Melli scored 14 points and grabbed 7 rebounds.

The team, who were last year’s EuroLeague finalists, now top the league. This season, Fenerbahçe Beko won 19 games out of 22.

At home, Italy's AX Armani Exchange Olimpia Milan defeated Turkey's Darüşşafaka Tekfen 90-78.

Darüşşafaka is 16th overall and at the bottom of the league with 3 wins out of 22.

On Thursday, Anadolu Efes beat Spain's Herbalife Gran Canaria. Anadolu Efes' Simon Krunoslav scored 25 points in the 93-74 home victory.

The Turkish team maintained its grip on fourth place in the standings at 14 - 8.

EuroLeague competitions bring Europe's top basketball teams together.

Sixteen teams are competing -- four Spanish, three Turkish, two Russian and two Greek teams and one team each from Germany, Italy, Israel, Lithuania and Montenegro.

Turkey is represented by Anadolu Efes, Fenerbahçe Beko and Darüşşafaka Tekfen.

The regular season is being played from Oct. 11, 2018 to April 5, 2019 with the top eight advancing to the playoffs.

The playoffs will take place between April 16-30. Winners will advance to the Final Four to be played May 17-19 in single-elimination matchups.