Karsiyaka edges Galatasaray in Game 1 of all-Turkish series
In a clash of two fellow Turkish clubs, Pinar Karsiyaka Izmir edged Galatasaray Odeabank Istanbul 67-64 in Game 1 of the Eurocup Eighthfinals at the packed Karsiyaka Arena on Wednesday. It means Karsiyaka will take a 3 point margin to Istanbul next Tuesday for the return leg of this home-and-away series. Karsiyaka led by as many as 11 points in the first half, and held control of the game for 35 minutes, but a 3-14 fourth-quarter spurt put Galatasaray briefly in front in the late stages of the game. Colton Iverson and Bracey Wright ensured the hosts of taking a slim advantage into the second leg of the series. Iverson paced Karsiyaka with 16 points, 10 rebounds and 3 assists, and Kenny Gabriel had 13 points, 5 assists, 3 assists and 3 steals in victory. Kerem Gonlum scored 9, and Lazeric Jones collected 6 points, 7 assists and 5 rebounds in the winning effort. Errick McCollum amassed 21 points and 13 rebounds for Galatasaray, Blake Schilb netted 12, and Stephane Lasme had 11 points plus 7 boards in defeat.
Karsiyaka used three visitors' turnovers, and a pair of baskets from Iverson to go up early 8-5. McCollum and Schilb scored on three consecutive trips down the floor for Galatasaray to cut within 12-11, but Jones and Iverson kept the hosts in front and helped them to 20-15 after 10 minutes. Baskets were few and far between at the start of the second, with Gonlum's triple and Iverson's offensive rebound helping increase the margin to 28-17. McCollum scored twice for the visitors, and Caleb Green cut it to 30-23, but Iverson scored inside, before second-chance baskets from Gabriel and Kenan Sipahi made it 36-25 at halftime.
After the break Schilb and Gabriel traded three-pointers, before Lasme scored 5 points, including a three-point play that got Galatasaray within 41-35. Josh Carter scored for the hosts, but McCollum replicated Lasme's effort, cutting it to 44-40. The hosts restored a double-digit margin with a triple from Carter and a three-point play from Gonlum, but Curtis Jerrells made sure Galatasaray gets to 51-45 at the end of the third. Even though the visitors needed almost 3 minutes to score in the fourth quarter, Karsiyaka did not pull away again. Schilb, Vladimir Micov and McCollum put together a 2-8 run that got Galatasaray within 55-54. After Gabriel scored on one end, and McCollum on the other, Sinan Guler fed Lasme for a basket and 57-58 lead, Galatasaray's first of the night with 3:14 to go in the game. After a timeout, Iverson scored twice to restore Karsiyaka's lead, but Micov's triple tied it at 61-61. A pair of free throws from each Iverson and Wright put the hosts ahead again. In a dramatic finish Karsiyaka had a chance to make a gap even bigger, but McCollum blocked Carter, and Guler scored on a fast break for Galatasaray and 65-64. However, Wright's basket with 3 seconds before the final buzzer gave Karsiyaka a 3-point margin going into the Game 2.
Wednesday, February 24, 2016
Eurocupbasketball.com