Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul strengthened its grip on first place in the EuroLeague with an 81-78 victory over Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade on Wednesday night at Ulker Sports and Event Hall.
The Turkish side improved to 21-7 and extended its winning streak to eight games, while the Belgrade club dropped to 9-20 after another narrow defeat.
Talen Horton-Tucker delivered his best performance of the season, pouring in a personal-best 29 points on 10-of-12 shooting in just over 29 minutes.
The guard added four rebounds and three assists, finishing with a game-high 33 PIR and a +13 plus-minus in a contest that turned on execution in the final quarter.
Partizan controlled much of the first three periods behind Bruno Fernando’s interior presence and efficient two-point shooting.
The visitors shot 63.4 percent inside the arc and led entering the fourth before defensive adjustments shifted the balance.
Fenerbahce opened the final period with a 9-2 run to take a 66-60 lead and never trailed again. Horton-Tucker drilled a key three-pointer during that stretch, helping the hosts withstand repeated comeback attempts.
Despite shooting just 6-of-24 from beyond the arc and committing 11 turnovers against 12 assists, the league leaders created extra possessions.
They grabbed 15 offensive rebounds and limited their opponent to just six, offsetting a 63.4 percent two-point clip by the visitors.
Tarik Biberovic scored all 13 of his points after halftime and sealed the result by converting four straight free throws in the closing seconds.
Wade Baldwin added 17 points, while Bonzie Colson contributed 10 points and eight rebounds.
On the other side, Fernando finished with 18 points and nine rebounds but was held to just two points after the break.
Carlik Jones, returning for the first time since October, scored 17 points and missed a potential game-tying three at the buzzer, while Duane Washington added 15.
Fenerbahce will host AS Monaco next Thursday as it looks to protect its lead in the standings, while Partizan returns home to face Dubai Basketball.
