Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade delivered one of the biggest EuroLeague results of the week Friday night, defeating Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul 79–73 at Belgrade Arena and ending the reigning champion’s nine-game winning streak.
The Serbian club relied on second-half defense and an all-around performance from Codi Miller-McIntyre to overturn a halftime deficit and strengthen its position in the crowded playoff race.
Zvezda entered the matchup looking to respond after a difficult home loss to Bayern Munich.
The hosts opened with energy and jumped to a 10-2 lead, but the visitors gradually took control through the shot-making of Wade Baldwin IV and Bonzie Colson.
The Istanbul side dominated the final minutes of the first half and carried a 42-33 advantage into the break, appearing comfortable offensively while holding Zvezda out of rhythm.
Momentum shifted immediately after halftime.
A transition basket from Jordan Nwora trimmed the deficit to three points, igniting the Belgrade crowd and triggering a defensive surge that defined the rest of the night.
Moments later, Miller-McIntyre pressured the ball, forced a turnover and finished with a two-handed dunk in transition, pushing the arena atmosphere to another level.
Fenerbahce head coach Sarunas Jasikevicius called timeout to stop the run, but the Serbian club continued to apply defensive pressure.
Zvezda held the EuroLeague leader to just 14 points in the third quarter and 18 in the fourth, gradually taking control of the game.
Fenerbahce briefly rallied with a 9-0 run midway through the final period, but the home team responded with a decisive 12-0 stretch fueled by Nwora and Jared Butler.
That sequence sealed a result that ended the Turkish club’s 20-game winning run across all competitions.
Miller-McIntyre finished with 10 points, 12 assists and eight rebounds, falling just two boards short of a triple-double while orchestrating Zvezda’s offense and defense.
Nwora led the scoring with 14 points, while Chima Moneke added 21 for the Belgrade side.
For Fenerbahce, Baldwin scored 16 points and Colson added 15, but the team struggled from long range, shooting 7-for-31 from three-point distance.
The victory improves Zvezda to 18-13 in EuroLeague play, keeping the Serbian club firmly in the playoff race while Fenerbahce remains first in the standings at 22-8.
Both teams return to action on March 20, when Zvezda visits Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens and Fenerbahce hosts EA7 Emporio Armani Milan.
