Türk Telekom defeated Galatasaray Nef 94-85 in the first match of the Turkish Insurance Basketball Super League play-off quarter-finals.
Türk Telekom took a 1-0 lead in the series by winning its 16th home game this season. The second match of the series will be played on Tuesday, May 30. If Türk Telekom wins this match as well, it will make it to the semi-finals.
Both teams started the match using the painted area. Finding successive hits in outside shots, Türk Telekom was ahead 12-9 in the 5th minute. Responding to Galatasaray Nef, who scored points with Ennis and Sadık Emir, with Grant’s baskets, Türk Telekom finished the first quarter with a 22-16 superiority.
Starting the second quarter with a 5-0 streak, Türk Telekom increased the lead to double digits in the 11th minute: 27-16. Capital representative increased the difference to 14 (34-20) in the 15th minute with Sestina’s outside shots. Increasing the hardness in defense, the yellow-red team reduced the difference to 1 (38-37) in the 18th minute with the baskets they found from fast attacks. Türk Telekom went ahead 43-39 in the locker room.
Starting the third quarter with the baskets Sadık Emir Kabaca found by going to the basket, Galatasaray Nef took the lead in the 25th minute: 52-53. Recapturing the upper hand with the numbers of Grant and Sestina, the representative of the capital entered the final period 69-63 superior.
Starting the last quarter well on offense, Türk Telekom managed to increase the lead to double digits again in the 34th minute with Grant’s points: 80-68. With Sadık Emir’s defensive and offensive play, Galatasaray Nef reduced the lead to 5 in the 37th minute: 82-77. In the 38th minute, with Bouteille and Grant’s 3-pointers in a row, Türk Telekom once again increased the gap to double digits (88-77). The representative of the capital did not make any mistakes in the last section and left the field with a 94-85 victory.
TENSION IN THE LAST QUARTER
There was a brief tension in the last quarter of the match.
After the intervention of the fans sitting on the field seats on the field, the security officers came to that area and warned a person.
Galatasaray Club Sportif AŞ Deputy Chairman Erden Timur, who followed the match in the field seats, changed his place before the last quarter started and came to the area where the yellow-red border management is located.
After the tension, Türk Telekom Club President Yusuf Kıraç came to Erden Timur and made a short speech. After Kıraç and Timur’s speech, the game started again.
On the other hand, at the ceremony held at the beginning of the match, Türk Telekom’s US pivot Tyrique Jones, who was selected as the “Most Valuable Player” (MVP) of the regular season, was presented with a plaque.
Living room: Ankara
Referees: Mehmet Karabilecen, Alper Altuğ Köselerli, Özge Şentürk Bayraktar
Turkish telecom: Grant 28, Rıdvan Öncel 8, Berk Demir, Bouteille 13, Jones 11, Mehmet Yağmur 2, Emircan Koşut 2, Semih Erden, Taylor 10, Erkan Yılmaz 6, Sestina 14
Galatasaray Nef: Ege Tan Yıldızoğlu, Ennis 21, Göksenin Köksal 3, Caloiaro 13, Sadık Emir Kabaca 19, Sedat Ali Karagülle, Mahir Ağva, Ristic 6, Russell 16, Muhaymin Mustafa 7
1. Period: 22-16
Circuit: 43-39
3. Period: 69-63
Coming out of the game with five fouls: 28.56 Muhaymin Mustafa (Galatasaray Nef), 30.50 Sestina (Turk Telekom)