Eight years after its last reign, Fenerbahce has completed a journey full of frustrated attempts to return to continental glory. The Ottoman side were crowned Euroleague champions after a high-class Final Four, in which they first knocked out defending champions Panathinaikos in the semifinals, and then overcame a Monaco side that confirmed, with its second appearance in the last three editions, that it is no longer a revelation but has established itself as part of the select club of Europe’s elite
The regular season left several headlines, starting with the collapse of Spanish basketball. For the first time since 2004, no ACB representative made it to the Final Four, a fact that reflects the change of cycle in the competition. Olympiacos took the lead with remarkable consistency, closely followed by a solid Fenerbahce. Panathinaikos took third place, while Monaco rounded off the top quartet with an outstanding final stretch of the season.
Special mention should be made of Bayern Munich and Paris Basketball, two teams that for many rounds rubbed shoulders with the best and offered an attractive game, although in the end they were unable to maintain their competitive edge and ended up slipping down the rankings.
1. Olympiacos (24-10)
2. Fenerbahce (23-11)
3. Panathinaikos (22-12)
4. Monaco (21-13)
5. Barcelona (20-14)
6. Anadolu Efes (20-14)
7. Real Madrid (20-14)
8. Paris Basketball (19-15)
9. Bayern Munich (19-15)
10. Estrella Roja (18-16)
11. Armani Milán (11-17)
12. Partizan (16-18)
13. Zalgiris (15-19)
14. Baskonia (14-20)
15. ASVEL Villeurbanne (13-21)
16. Maccabi (11-23)
17. Virtus Bolonia (9-25)
18. ALBA Berlin (5-29)
The teams ranked between 7th and 10th place played in the play-in, the new format that determines the last two tickets to the playoffs. In the first round, Bayern Munich came away with a hard-fought victory over Red Star (97-93), while Real Madrid stumbled at home against ambitious Paris Basketball (73-81), in one of the surprises of the season. With no margin for error, the Whites played for their lives in the second round against the Parisians, where they responded with authority and character to seal their qualification with a resounding victory (93-71) that gave them the eighth definitive place.
The playoffs offered a full palette of emotions. Fenerbahce swept aside the surprise package of the season with authority (3-0), while Olympiacos overcame Real Madrid (3-1) in a series that marked the abrupt departure of the white team. The script was very different in the other two series, which required a fifth and final match to decide the winner. Panathinaikos survived the push of a hard-fighting Anadolu Efes, while AS Monaco made a strong showing at home to see off Barcelona in a tie that was as evenly matched as it was tense.
Olympiacos imposed its law from the start of the series, taking advantage of the home court factor to win the first two games in Piraeus and gain an advantage that would ultimately prove decisive. With the tie going uphill, Real Madrid reacted in the third match in front of their fans, winning a victory of pride that fueled their hopes of a comeback. However, in the fourth round, the Greeks were once again ruthless. In a duel marked by tension and equality, Olympiacos took a tight but definitive victory, sealing a 3-1 win and signing the elimination of the reigning runners-up.
(84–72); (77–71); (72–80); (86–84)
It is true that Fenerbahce needed an overtime to close the series in the third game played in Paris, but that detail does not tarnish the superiority with which they dispatched Paris Basketball. The Turks dominated with authority the first two games in front of their fans, setting the distance from the start and leaving very little room for surprise. The third duel, more competitive, served only to prolong the inevitable: a 3-0 win that reflected the solidity and competitive maturity of a Fenerbahce launched towards the Final Four.
83–78; 89–72; 98–88
Anadolu Efes managed to strike first on hostile ground by winning the second game in Athens, levelling the series (1-1) and putting the pressure on Panathinaikos. With the support of their fans, the Turks took the lead in Istanbul (2-1) and were close to a place in the Final Four, but when everything seemed to be going in their favor, the Greek team reacted with character. They won the fourth away game with authority and, on their return to OAKA, completed the comeback with a solid victory in the fifth game, showing their mettle and hierarchy in the decisive moments.
(87–83); (76–79); (81–77); (82–85); (75–67)
The tie between Monaco and Barcelona had one constant: the victory always stayed at home. The Principality side took advantage of their home advantage to win the first two games, cementing their advantage with a physical and effective game. Barça responded at the Palau with two high-level performances that levelled the series (2-2) and forced a fifth and final game. However, the outcome rewarded the host once again: Monaco won in their home fortress and secured a place in their second Final Four in three years. The defeat also sealed a historical fact: for the first time since 2004, there were no Spanish representatives in the fight for the title.
(97–80); (92–79); (89–100); (72–79); (85–84)
After the playoffs, the Final Four was held in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, marking an unprecedented event: for the first time in history, the Euroleague finals were played outside the European continent. Of the four qualified teams, three teams repeated their presence from the previous edition, Olympiacos, Fenerbahce and Panathinaikos, while AS Monaco returned after a year’s absence.
Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul qualified for the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague final after beating Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens 82-76 in the first semifinal, in a game it led for more than 38 minutes with a dominant performance.
The Turkish side took control from the start, building a double-digit lead in the first quarter and staying ahead at halftime 38-33. Panathinaikos managed to get within a single point in the third period, but Fenerbahce held on solidly in the final quarter to secure the victory.
Fenerbahce 82
*Hall – 18p, 2a, 1r
*Guduric – 3p, 2r, 1a
*Hayes-Davis – 7p, 5a, 3r
*Colson – 3p, 2br, 1r
*Birch – 2p, 4r
Baldwin – 10p, 5r, 5a
McCollum – 13p, 3r, 2a
Pierre – 2p, 1r
Biberovic – 15p, 3r
Melli – 9p, 6r, 1a
Sanli – 0p
Panathinaikos 76
*Grant – 15p, 4a, 2r
*Nunn – 19p, 3r, 1br
*Osman – 22p, 6r, 1br
*Hernangómez – 5p, 5r
*Gabriel – 4p, 3r, 2a
Sloukas – 2p, 3a
Brown – 0p, 1r
Kalaitzakis – 0p, 1r
Mitoglou – 0p, 2r
Yurtseven – 2p, 2r
Papapetrou – 0p
AS Monaco made history at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi by beating Olympiacos Piraeus 65-75 in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague semifinals, qualifying for the tournament’s grand final for the first time. The Monegasque side took command of the game in the first half of the second quarter and never let go, sealing their passage to the final and causing Olympiacos’ fourth consecutive disappointment in a Final Four.
Mike James signed a complete performance, while Alpha Diallo was the team’s top scorer. For Olympiacos, Evan Fournier shined, setting a record for scoring in the semifinals so far this century. Sasha Vezenkov, on the other hand, was held to just 7 points.
AS Mónaco 75
*Strazel – 2p, 3r, 3a
*James – 17p, 7r, 7a
*Diallo – 22p, 6r, 3a
*Blossomgame – 12p, 5r, 1t
*Theis – 5p, 4r
Okobo – 7p, 3r, 3a
Calathes – 2p, 3a, 1r
Loyd – 0p, 2r, 1a
Jaiteh – 11p, 6r, 2br
Olympiacos 65
*Williams-Goss – 12p, 4r, 2a
*Fournier – 31p, 3r, 2a
*Papanikolaou – 2p, 3r, 1br
*Vezenkov – 7p, 8r, 2br
*Fall – 2p, 3r, 1a
Walkup – 2p, 3r, 2a
Vildoza – 0p
Lee – 1p, 1r, 1a
Peters – 3p, 1r, 1a
Milutinov – 8p, 4t, 2r
Fenerbahce returns to the top of continental basketball. Two years after its last appearance in a Final Four and after finishing fourth in Berlin, the Istanbul side lifted its second Euroleague title with a resounding victory over AS Monaco (81-70) in a duel that combined grit, character and devastating defense at key moments.
The night had a name and a surname: Marko Guduric. The Serbian shooting guard was the competitive soul of the Ottoman team with 19 points, including the free throws and the three-pointer that sealed the game in the closing stages. But Fenerbahce was not only Guduric. Nigel Hayes-Davis shined with 22 points and a tireless presence on both ends of the court, while Devon Hall and Wade Baldwin contributed 13 apiece before the latter was ejected for an unsportsmanlike foul down the stretch.
Sarunas Jasikevicius, the architect of this feat, made personal history by becoming European champion as both player and coach, a feat that only three other men had achieved before. Moreover, he did it by bringing back to the top a club that had not touched continental metal since the Obradovic era, and he did it by putting his stamp on it: intensity, a winning mentality and a defense that suffocated Monaco when it mattered most.
On the Monegasque side, Alpha Diallo (19 points) and Mike James (17) kept their team alive for much of the game, while Strazel (13) and Theis (12) provided quality minutes. But the last quarter was an impossible wall for Sasa Obradovic’s team to climb.
The game started with a promising partial for Monaco (13-4), which closed the first quarter ahead (20-18). Baldwin responded with a three-pointer to give Fenerbahce a momentary lead, but the Principality team soon regained the lead (29-21), showing an energetic version that allowed them to reach halftime with an advantage (35-33).
After the break, Fenerbahce changed the narrative. Guduric opened the third quarter with a triple that set the tone (38-33). The game became a chess battle with multiple alternations on the scoreboard. Another triple, this time by Hayes-Davis, closed the third period with Fenerbahce in front (54-51) on the 10th lead change of the game.
That’s where the balance ended. Fenerbahce entered the final quarter with a knife between its teeth and signed an 8-0 start (62-51) that left Monaco with no answer. Guduric and Hall put the maximum (68-57) with just over three minutes to go.
Neither Baldwin’s ejection nor Strazel’s last-ditch attempt to tighten the score (69-64) prevented the inevitable. Guduric’s three-pointer (74-64) with a minute to play unleashed the Ottoman party at the Etihad Arena.
With authority, determination and a textbook second half, Fenerbahce regained the European throne and opened a new golden chapter in its history. Turkish basketball, once again, rules in Europe.
Fenerbahce 81
*Hall – 13p, 3r, 3a
*Guduric – 19p, 6r, 2br
*Hayes-Davis – 23p, 9r, 2br
*Colson – 0p
*Birch – 2p, 6r, 1t
Baldwin – 13p, 3a, 2r
McCollum – 3p, 3r, 1a
Pierre – 0p, 1r
Biberovic – 3p, 1r
Melli – 5p, 3r, 1br
Sanli – 0p
Bango –
AS Monaco 70
*Strazel – 13p, 3r, 1a
*James – 17p, 5r, 2a
*Diallo – 19p, 3r, 2a
*Blossomgame – 5p, 6r, 1br
*Theis – 12p, 8r
Okobo – 0p, 5a, 1r
Calathes – 0p, 2a, 1r
Loyd 3p, 1r, 1a
Jaiteh – 1p, 5r, 1t
Papagiannis –
Tarpey –
Brown –
