Jerrells stars as Besiktas gains pivotal road win

Besiktas JK Istanbul took a decisive step towards the Top 16 in its first-ever Turkish Airlines Euroleague season by downing Lietuvos Rytas Vilnius 67-73 at Siemens Arena D in the Lithuanian capital on Thursday. Besiktas improved to 3-2 and is third in Group D, while Rytas dropped to 1-4. Curtis Jerrells led the winners with 23 points on 5-of-9 three-point shooting. Damir Markota added 13 points, while Vladimir Dasic had 10 for Besiktas. Steponas Babrauskas scored 14 points for Rytas and Nemanja Nedovic added 11. Dejan Ivanov had 5 points in a 7-0 run that gave Rytas a 13-7 lead late in the first quarter. Besiktas improved its defense and 5 unanswered points by Serhat Cetin gave the guests a 20-25 margin. Nedovic and Predrag Samardziski allowed Rytas to tie the game, 33-33, at halftime. An outstanding Dasic gave Besiktas an 8-point lead after the break. Rytas managed to pull within 48-49 after 30 minutes, but Markota and Jerrells led another 0-8 run that put Besiktas ahead for good. Rytas managed to get as close as 65-69 in the next-to-last minute, but Jerrells capped his outstanding performance with a wild fadeaway jumper that carried Besiktas out of trouble for good.

First quarter: Nedovic, Seibutis give Rytas the lead

Mindaugas Katelynas got Rytas going with a mid-range jumper, as Besiktas struggled to score in the first two minutes. Arturas Jomantas shined with a second-chance layup for a 4-0 lead. Besiktas missed 3 shots and 4 free throw attempts before Jerrells struck from downtown. Markota soon gave the guests their first lead, 4-5. Samardziski scored around the basket, but he didn't find much help around. Jerrells took over with an acrobatic, second-chance reverse layup that Ivanov erased with a close basket for an 8-7 score. Rytas kept running its offense through Ivanov, who took over with a three-point play. Nedovic soon added a stop-and-pop jumper to cause Besiktas to call an early timeout at 13-7. Randal Falker scored down low and Jerrells added free throws, but a three-pointer by Nedovic kept Rytas ahead, 16-13. Ronnie Seibutis hit 4 foul shots, but Falker kept Besiktas within 20-17 after 10 minutes.

Second quarter: Besiktas fights back

Tutku Acik nailed a three-pointer early in the second quarter, as LRytas struggled to control its offense, picking up two consecutive turnovers. Both teams went scoreless for more than two minutes until Serhat Cetin stepped up with a fast break layup, good for a 20-22 Besiktas lead. Cetin kept pacing the guests with a wild three-point play in transition and even when Samardziski scored off a spin move in the low post, Markota gave Besiktas a 22-27 edge. Samardziski scored again and split free throws, but Baris Hersek gave Besiktas some fresh air at 25-29. Nedovic found space for an uncontested layup and a baseline jumper by Katelynas tied it at 29-29. Besiktas failed to find the way to the basket and free throws by Seibutis put Rytas back ahead, 31-29. Babrauskas took over with a backdoor layup that Dasic bettered with consecutive baskets for a 33-33 tie at halftime.

Third quarter: Jerrells shines, Besiktas leads

Dasic nailed a three-pointer in transition right after the break and Jerrells added an electric driving layup for a 33-38 Besiktas lead. The hosts could not find the way to the basket and a fast break layup by a red-hot Dasic made it a 7-point game. Dasic capped a 0-12 Besiktas run with a free throw. A three-pointer by Janis Blums gave Rytas some hope at 36-41. Babrauskas nailed a five-meter shot, as Rytas managed to stop the guests' transition game. Samardziski picked up his fourth foul, however, which forced the hosts to change their game plan. Gasper Vidmar immediately delivered with a jump hook that Seibutis improved on with a corner triple. Jerrells quickly answered from downtown for a 41-46 Besiktas lead. Babrauskas joined the three-point shootout, but once again Jerrells nailed one from beyond the arc to keep Besiktas ahead, 44-49. Nedovic hit a triple and a free throw by Leon Radosevic fixed the score at 48-49 after 30 minutes.

Fourth quarter: Besiktas conquers a big win

Jerrells hit another three-pointer early in the fourth quarter, as Besiktas picked up 3 team fouls in less than two minutes. Markota soon added free throws that boosted the guests' lead to 48-55. Rytas struggled to score right when it mattered most and an uncontested layup by Markota forced the hosts to call timeout at 48-57. Deividas Dulkys tried to ignite a comeback with a triple and Nedovic split free throws to get within 52-57. Jerrells took over with yet another three-pointer and Cetin bettered Dulkys's free throws with a bomb from downtown. Rytas, however, did not give up. Babrauskas scored in transition and followed that with a corner triple to make it 59-63 with four minutes to go. Markota stepped up with an alley-oop layup and Muratcan Guler seemed to seal the outcome, 59-67. Ivanov, Babrauskas and Katelynas managed to get Rytas within 65-69, but Jerrells hit an incredible rainbow shot that allowed the Turkish fans in the stands to start celebrating a pivotal road win.