Fenerbahce handed CSKA Moscow only their second loss of the EuroLeague season with a memorable 95-79 victory in the Russian capital in a game that, like their title game last season, went to overtime.
CSKA though had regularly threatened to run away with the game and twice enjoyed double-digit leads. But Fenerbahce held firm, took the game to the extra period and from there blitzed past the Muscovites in overtime 20-4, a record margin for an overtime session in the EuroLeague.
Bobby Dixon hit a game-high 25 points for Fenerbahce with 12 of those points coming in overtime. Ekpe Odoh added a solid 17-point, 11-rebound double-double as they helped the Turkish side end CSKA’s 17-game unbeaten run at home and improve their overall record to 9-5.
“It is a great win,” Odoh said. “We are both not healthy, we are both not at our peak. But this was a great win for us coming off a loss on home floor. CSKA is obviously the top team in Europe. But, you know, we battled. We were up and down, but we were able to stay there and at the end we made big plays. Key was just staying with it until the end. They hit big shots, but we just grinded it out.”
Milos Teodosic hit 21 for CSKA but the Serb also turned the ball over nine times.
Panathinaikos needed good defence in the last seconds to hold on to a 69-68 win over Baskonia as the Greek side joined their Spanish counterparts on 9-5 records.
Chris Singleton led the winners with 23 points – 19 of them in the first quarter with Mike James amassing 16 against his former club.
“It was tough,” admitted Singleton. “We had to grind it out. There was a long stretch in which neither team scored. We knew it was going to come down to defence, especially in the second half. I am glad we prevailed.”
Darussafaka Dogus rallied from 19 points down to edge Maccabi FOX Tel Aviv 86-84 in Istanbul thanks to a career game from Scottie Wilbekin.
This win improves Darussafaka to 8-6 with 23 points on the night coming from Wilbekin, a career high. Will Cyburn recorded a double-double of 20 points and 12 rebounds.
Andrew Goudelock paced Maccabi with 23 points but they will feel distraught as this is the second game this season where they have blown a double-digit cushion and ended on the losing side.
Barcelona ended their three-game losing streak with a convincing 89-75 win over struggling EA7 Milano.
For the Italian side, their losing streak now stretches to seven games with this loss as Barcelona dished out a club record 30 assists with Tyrese Rice providing 11 of them to go with his modest 10 points.
Ante Tomic led the way for the victors with 19 points.
