Fenerbahce Tarfin Istanbul bounced back from its defeat to Panathinaikos with a convincing 99-80 victory over Zalgiris Kaunas on Tuesday, October 13, using a strong three-point shooting performance and a decisive third quarter to take control.
The Turkish champions improved to 4-1 in the 2026-27 regular season, maintaining their unbeaten home record. Zalgiris, meanwhile, dropped to 2-3 after struggling to contain Fenerbahce’s offense following halftime.
Shavon Shields led the hosts with 17 points, while Braxton Key contributed 15 and Will Clyburn added 14. Nicolo Melli finished with 10 points, and Wade Baldwin IV recorded six points and seven assists as Fenerbahce spread the scoring across its rotation.
Fenerbahce made an early statement, opening a 27-14 lead in the first quarter and extending the advantage to 22 points during the first half. However, the hosts lost their defensive concentration late in the second quarter, allowing Zalgiris to respond and cut the deficit to 50-43 at halftime.
Carsen Edwards led the Lithuanian side with 20 points, including four three-pointers, helping Zalgiris recover after a difficult start. The visitors could not sustain that momentum after the break, though, as Fenerbahce tightened its defense and regained control.
The hosts outscored Zalgiris 28-13 in the third quarter, restoring a comfortable cushion before closing out the game. Fenerbahce finished with 13 three-pointers on 29 attempts, shooting 44.8% from beyond the arc after making just nine of 30 attempts in its previous loss to Panathinaikos.
Nine different Fenerbahce players connected from long range, underlining the team’s perimeter depth and offensive balance.
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Another positive development for Fenerbahce was Shane Larkin’s return to EuroLeague action following an injury layoff. The guard played 15 minutes, recording five points and three assists while contributing on the defensive end.
Fenerbahce will look to maintain its momentum when it hosts Partizan on Thursday. Zalgiris will try to respond at home against Anadolu Efes on Friday.
