Real Madrid advance to Final Four in EuroLeague

ISTANBUL

Defending EuroLeague champion Real Madrid have been the first to qualify now in the Final Four phase, eliminating Greek opponents Panathinaikos OPAP in the quarterfinal.

Beating Panathinaikos OPAP 89-82 in the game three in Athens on April 23, Spain’s Real Madrid swept their opponents by 3-0 in the last eight.

Real Madrid stars, Rudy Fernandez and Facundo Campazzo scored 16 points each against Panathinaikos OPAP.

Real Madrid's American forward Anthony Randolph tallied 14 points.

Panathinaikos OPAP point guard Nick Calathes produced 17 points and seven assists. His Belgian teammate Matt Lojeski scored 16 points against Real Madrid but their efforts were not enough to earn a win.

Real may face either Kirolbet Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz or CSKA Moscow in the Final Four.

The quarterfinal playoff series between Baskonia and CSKA Moscow is now 1-1.     

Fenerbahçe wins    

Meanwhile, Turkey's Istanbul-based basketball giants Fenerbahçe Beko have earned a critical win against Zalgiris Kaunas 66-57, claiming a 2-1 lead against their Lithuanian opponents in an away game in Turkish Airlines EuroLeague quarterfinal playoffs late April 23.

Fenerbahçe Beko's Serbian guard Marko Guduric scored 17 points in the game three held at Zalgirio Arena as their Czech star Jan Vesely produced 10 points.

Home team Zalgiris Kaunas' American guard Nate Wolters was his team's top scorer, racking up 15 points.

Following the victory, Fenerbahçe Beko has taken the home court advantage.

The next game of the series will be played in Kaunas on April 25.

If Fenerbahçe Beko wins the game, they will book a berth for the Final Four.

In case of a 2-2 tie, the last game will be played in Istanbul.     

The winners of the playoffs will advance to the Final Four to be played on May 17-19 at Fernando Buesa Arena in the Spanish city of Vitoria-Gasteiz in single-elimination matchups.