Fenerbahçe claims basketball league

Fenerbahçe won the championship crown for the seventh time in club history and the second time in three years. 

The title represents a Turkish double for Fenerbahçe – its first in five years – as the club also won the Turkish Cup earlier this season.

Fenerbahçe coach Zeljko Obradovic, who claimed the 13th domestic league title of his glorious career, said they managed to create a fighting side. 

“We played three finals this year, won two of them and you know how we lost the third one,” he said after the game, referring to the Euroleague Final Four final loss to CSKA Moscow in overtime. “I’m very happy. All of Europe knows how Fenerbahçe plays basketball. I thank everyone at the club, but especially our fans, who make this club great.”

The Serbian coach said he wanted to keep his players for the next season.

“We will celebrate tonight and start preparations for the next season tomorrow,” said Obradovic. 

“I want happy players here; it is the most important thing for a good team chemistry. Check out the photos and videos of the title celebrations, you will see very happy people. You cannot get such results without it,” he said.

There was little doubt about the outcome of the sixth game of the final series, as Obradovic’s men built a 20-point lead before halftime, and held a 31-point margin in the third quarter. 

Sparked by Bogdan Bogdanovic, a 12-0 run late in the first quarter put Fenerbahçe in control, and a 19-9 lead. 

Thomas Heurtel and Jon Diebler’s triple cut Efes’ deficit to five points, but another 12-0 run, this time with Luigi Datome in the main role, broke open the game, giving the hosts a 36-19 lead midway through the second quarter. 

The lead reached 20 points with two minutes left in the first half, with Fenerbahçe going into the break up 52-32. If there was any hope for Efes to turn it around, it effectively disappeared when Fenerbahçe scored the first six points of the third quarter. 

Bogdanovic and Ekpe Udoh made sure of the championship with baskets late in the third, and the hosts cruised the rest of the way to the delight of supporters in the packed Ülker Sports Arena. 

Datome, who was later voted the final series MVP, finished with 20 points, while Bogdanovic had 16 points and seven rebounds.

Udoh had an all-round game collecting 13 points, 10 rebounds and 6 assists. Kostas Sloukas also had 13 points, Jan Vesely scored 12, and Bobby Dixon 10 in title-clinching victory. 

Diebler netted 18, and Cedi Osman had 14 points in the defeat.