Credit: Tolga Adanali/Euroleague Basketball via Getty Images
Credit Tolga Adanali/Euroleague Basketball via Getty Images

Injury-plagued Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul got their sixth consecutive win at home and strengthened their hand in the playoff race despite all the setbacks.

Player of the Game
Dyshawn  Pierre
EFF
21
Dyshawn Pierre
Points 16
Accuracy 4-10
Rebounds 8
Assists 3

"Important win for us, especially with the situation that we are having with the roster," Sasha Djordjevic remarked.

"ASVEL is a team that plays with physicality;they are an athletic and fast team, we needed to answer them in the same way. We did not start with very good energy, but we responded well," he continued.

One big problem for Fenerbahce was to contain Ellie Okobo, who scored 18 points in the first half. That was his best offensive output in EuroLeague since the end of November against Real Madrid.

Another problem was Sehmus Hazer, who usually gets the toughest one-on-one assignments in these situations, got his 3rd foul at the beginning of the 2nd quarter. 

"Obviously, Okobo and Chris Jones are the most important players in their offense. Okobo was very aggressive, especially with his left-hand drives, he was very effective. 

We decided to change our defense on him. We were not that focused on him in the first half, but in the second half, we switched our defenders on him between Marko Guduric and Dyshawn Pierre, not to let him get used to it. Eventually, we forced him to make 6 turnovers," Djordjevic noted.

Other than defense, Djordjevic also praised the overall effort of Guduric and Pierre, who came back after 10 days of absence.

"Some playmaking and some leadership of Guduric was there, especially with his defensive effort. In fact, not only defensively, but also in terms of stability in his contribution, that was a major effort of him," said Djordjevic. 

Marko Guduric

Marko  Guduric
Team: Fenerbahce Istanbul
Position: SG, SF
Age: 26
Height: 196 cm
Weight: 91 kg
Birth place: Serbia

Guduric was the main instigator for Fenerbahce to halt ASVEL's comeback attempt with an energizer dunk which was followed by a steal from the very hands of Okobo.

“I really tried to take that challenge on Okobo and we did a good job in the second half. He is a great player with his left hand especially and he left a lot of easy shots for him. Luckily, we managed to slow him down in the second half.”

Guduric finished the game with 15 points, 9 of them came in the second half. 

"I was very scared when I saw his ankle twist, but luckily, it wasn't bad, and I don't think he has a major problem. He feels better nowadays. We must not forget that he came out of injury, he had to skip the first part of the pre-season. It is important that he has some energy now," Djordjevic added. 

Fenerbahce will close the double game week with a hard task against AX Armani Exchange Milan. It is still unclear whether the new signing Markel Starks will be ready to play, who is still suffering because of the back spasms. 

 

 

 

 

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Stambulo Fenerbahce
Vilerbano ASVEL
50%
30/60
Field goals
47%
26/55
30
Rebounds
26
17
Assists
14
7
Steals
7
64%
25/39
2-pointers
57%
20/35
12
Turnovers
17

Best players

Devin   Booker
16 PTS
5/11 FG
5/5 FT
Elie  Okobo
23 PTS
8/18 FG
5/5 FT
Dyshawn  Pierre
8 REB
7 DREB
1 OREB
Charles Lombahe Kahudi
6 REB
4 DREB
2 OREB
Pierria  Henry
7 As
4 TO
30 MIN
Chris  Jones
8 As
4 TO
33 MIN
Dyshawn  Pierre
21 EFF
57% 2P%
0% 3P%
Kostas   Antetokounmpo
17 EFF
100% 2P%
- 3P%