Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul delivered its most disciplined defensive outing of the season on Thursday, outlasting league-leading Hapoel IBI Tel Aviv 74–68 in Munich to claim a third straight EuroLeague victory.
The reigning champions forced the visitors into a grinding, low-possession battle from the opening tip, holding Hapoel to just 26 made field goals after they entered the night averaging 93.2 points per game.
The early minutes set the tone, with both offenses stalling as neither side scored for more than three minutes.
Hapoel managed brief flashes of rhythm through Elijah Bryant and Johnathan Motley, but Fenerbahce’s defensive execution kept the first quarter to a combined 10 field goal conversions on 32 attempts.
The second period followed a similar script, with nearly four minutes passing before either team made a shot from the field.
Free throws provided most of the scoring as Hapoel carried a narrow 28–27 advantage into halftime in a game defined by pressure and length.
Fenerbahce finally broke the contest open early in the third quarter by pairing sustained defense with its most efficient offensive stretch of the night.
Tarik Biberovic and Onuralp Bitim connected from deep, while Talen Horton-Tucker scored twice inside during a 14–2 run that created the first double-digit separation.
Bonzie Colson then added consecutive three-pointers to keep momentum in Fenerbahce’s favor, helping the Turkish side take a 10-point lead into the fourth quarter.
Hapoel responded with scoring bursts from Bryant and Vasilije Micic, narrowing the gap and briefly threatening to flip the game’s pace.
But Fenerbahce closed the night by holding the visitors scoreless for the final two minutes, sealing the win behind decisive defensive stops.
Horton-Tucker finished as the top scorer with 15 points and emphasized the team’s defensive approach afterward.
Despite the matchup being relocated to Munich, Fenerbahce enjoyed strong support inside the SAP Garden.
With three consecutive victories, Fenerbahce has rebounded from early-season struggles and appears positioned to reassert itself in the title race.
The champions will travel to face Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade next Friday, while Hapoel heads to Italy to meet EA7 Emporio Armani Milan in Round 12.
