Fenerbahçe, Efes advance to top 8 in Euroleage
ISTANBUL
Fenerbahce Ulker's Turksih center Semih Erden (R) vies for the ball with Anadolu Efes's Serbian center Nenad Krstic (L) during the Euroleague top 16 basketball match between Fenerbahce Ulker and Anadolu Efes at Fenerbahce Ulker Sports Arena in Istanbul on April 9, 2015. AFP Photo
Fenerbahçe Ülker finished the Top 16 of the Turkish Airlines Euroleague on a high note by beating rival Anadolu Efes Istanbul 83-72 at home in the Istanbul derby, with Efes also advancing in Group F to the playoffs thanks to results elsewhere.The development marks the first time in the 11-year history of the playoff phase that two Turkish teams will participate, while Fenerbahce is the first Turkish team ever to do so with home-court advantage.
Fenerbahçe, which finished the Top 16 with an 11-3 record, locked up home-court advantage in the playoffs last week and would have been first if EA7 Emporio Armani Milan had beaten CSKA Moscow later on April 9.
Instead, the Turkish champs finished second and will face defending champion Maccabi Electra Tel Aviv in the playoffs.
Anadolu Efes dropped to 6-8 in Group F, but was bailed out when Unicaja Malaga beat Laboral Kutxa Vitoria.
Andrew Goudelock led the winners with 24 points as Bogdan Bogdanovic added 17, while Jan Vesely and Oğuz Savaş each scored 10 for Fenerbahçe. Birkan Batuk led Efes with 12 points. Stratos Perperoglou and Nenad Krstic each added 11 and Cedi Osman and Stephane Lasme scored 10 apiece for the guests.
CSKA Moscow wrapped up first place in Group F and will face Panathinaikos in the playoffs.
Turkish ministry to sponsor Final Four
Euroleague Basketball announced on its website on April 10 that the Turkish Culture and Tourism Ministry has been named the official sponsor of the Turkish Airlines Euroleague Final Four, the biggest weekend in European basketball.
The Final Four basketball party is set for May 14 to 17 in Madrid.
