Galatasaray Medical Park Istanbul bounced back from its initial loss in Last 16 Group L by topping Crvena Zvezda Telekom Belgrade 74-91 in the Serbian capital on Wednesday. Both teams join Unics Kazan and Ratiopharm Ulm in a four-way tie in Group L at 1-1. Jamont Gordon led 6 Galatasaray players in double digits with 22 points on 9-of-10 two-point shots. Carlos Arroyo added 19 on 5-of-8 three-point shots, Boni Ndong had 15 while Milan Macvan, Ender Arslan and David Hawkins each got 10 for the winners. Igor Rakocevic led Zvezda with 16 points. DeMarcus Nelson had 13, Rasko Katic added 12 and Elton Brown for 10 for the hosts. Gordon shined early in the game to give Galatasaray a 10-17 lead, enough for the guests to keep a 18-22 edge after 10 minutes. Zvezda improved its offense and a three-point play by Branko Lazic brought the hosts within 26-27. Gordon stayed on fire and got some help from Arroyo and Ndong to gave Galatasaray a 42-48 margin at halftime. Arroyo struck twice from downtown in a 0-10 run that broke the game open, 46-61. Zvezda found a new go-to guy in Brown but Galatasaray kept a 60-71 margin after 30 minutes. Galatasaray quickly boosted its margin to 62-79 with 6 minutes to go and cruised to a well-deserved win.

Arroyo got Galatasaray going with a six-meter jumper that Nelson matched at the other end. A turnaround jumper by Hawkins soon gave the guests a 2-4 lead. Rakocevic struck from downtown and matched Gordon's basket with a driving layup. Gordon followed free throws with a coast-to-coast layup for a 7-10 Galatasaray edge. Macvan hit a jump hook that Katic bettered with a three-point play. Gordon stayed on fire with a layup-plus-foul and a dunk that made Zvezda call timeout at 10-17. Vuk Radivojevic made foul shots that Ndong erased with a tip-in. Boris Savovic scored down low but Hawkins shocked the crowd with a big slam. A big basket by Savovic and free throws by Radivojevic brought Zvezda within 18-22 after 10 minutes. Arslan struck from downtown early in the second quarter. Brown and Arroyo traded baskets but Radivojevic nailed a triple and Lazic added a three-point play to bring Zvezda within 26-27. Arroyo join the three-point shootout, Rakocevic and Arslan traded baskets and a layup-plus-foul by Katic kept the hosts as close as 31-32. Gordon dunked it, Katic scored again and a three-point play by Hawkins gave Galatasaray some fresh air at 33-37. Gordon took over with an acrobatic layup that Nelson bettered with a triple. Ndong and Katic exchanged jumpers and Macvan soon gave Galatasaray a 38-43 margin. Katic kept pacing Zvezda with another basket but Ndong answered with a three-point play and Arroyo buried a corner triple for a 40-49 Galatasaray lead. A fast break layup by Savovic fixed the halftime score at 42-49.

Nelson shined with a backdoor layup after the break that Macvan matched with a floater in the lane. Nelson insisted with free throws but Arroyo answered from downtown and Ndong followed a dunk with an alleyoop layup to make it a double-digit game, 46-58. Arroyo downed a three-pointer to cap a 0-10 run, as Rakocevic stepped up with a jumper. Ndong swished a four-meter shot, Nelson scored in penetration and free throws by Rakocevic gave Zvezda some hope at 52-63. Gordon took over with a fast break layup and Arslan sank a rainbow jumper but Brown singlehandedly kept Zvezda within 56-67. Rakocevic and Ndong exchanged layups, Brown made free throws and a buzzer-beating put-back layup by Erwin Dudley kept Galatasaray way ahead, 60-71, after 30 minutes. Both teams struggled to score early in the fourth quarter until Arslan downed a triple, good for a 60-74 Galatasaray lead. Brown scored in the paint but free throws by Macvan and a turnaround jumper by Ndong sealed the outcome, 62-79, with over 6 minutes to go. Zvezda kept struggling to score right when it mattered most until Savovic stepped up with a tip-in. Lazic added free throws but everything was said and done already. Galatasaray grabbed a prestigious road win to improve its situation in Last 16 Group L and Zvezda needs to bounce back right away to challenge Unics in its next two Eurocup showdowns.