Gescrap BB stopped Fenerbahce Ulker 70-80

Gescrap BB boosted its Top 16 chances with a 70-80 road win over Fenerbahce Ulker at Sinan Erdem Arena on Thursday night. D’Or Fischer dominated with 16 points, 10 rebounds and 2 blocks to lead the men in black as they improved to 4-5 in tough Group A. Roger Grimau added 13 points, Aaron Jackson tallied 11 points and 6 assists and Marko Banic scored 10 for the winners. Bilbao was determined from the start as it raced to a 6-15 opening and kept the pressure on. It was 33-44 at halftime and then Gescrap scored the first 8 points of the second half. Fenerbahce made small runs to get back led by Emir Preldzic, but never got close enough to seriously threaten the outcome. Preldzic paced the hosts with 19 points and 7 rebounds and James Gist, Roko Ukic and Bojan Bogdanovic netted 11 apiece. The Turkish champs dropped to 5-4, but still control their own destiny and can advance to the Top 16 with a win at Bennet Cantu next week.

The hosts got their raucous fans into early as Gist scored inside. Alex Mumbru fed Axel Hervelle for the visitors’ first basket. Gascrap soon took charge led by Mumbru and Fischer in the paint. Fischer’s second dunk of the night made it 4-10 and silenced Sinan Erdem Arena. Omer Onan sliced through the Bilbao defense for a layup, but after a timeout the Gescrap superiority remained as Mumbru knocked down a triple and Jackson got to the line to make it 6-15. Preldzic spotted Gist for a triple from the corner and then netted one of his own. Janis Blums hit back for a Gescrap three-pointer and soon Dimitrios Mavroeidis added free throws before Grimau layup gave the visitors a double-digit advantage, 14-15, after 10 minutes.

Like in the first quarter, Gist opened the second with a hook in the lane and soon Preldzic netted free throws. Fischer kept the visitors ahead by double figures and then Grimau posted up Curtis Jerrells to make it 18-31. Ukic drove into Banic for a basket-plus-foul. Gist provided a highlight with a two-handed tomahawk jam that elicited cheers throughout the arena and then Bogdanovic finished the break with a layup that cut the deficit to 27-33 midway through the second quarter. After a timeout, Mumbru and Fischer quickly increased the difference to 10 again. Bogdanovic stepped up with a crucial three, however Gescrap continued to generate points. Ukic provided another highlight with a spinning layup. But a near turnover led to a Blums three on the shot-clock buzzer to keep the men in black ahead 33-44 at halftime.

Gescrap came out for the second half red hot. Blums drilled a triple, Hervelle sank a jumper and Jackson connected from downtown again to make it 33-52 before a stunned Istanbul crowd. Bogdanovic got the hosts their first point of the half with a fee throw only to see Mumbru extend Gescrap’s advantage to 20. When all seemed lost, Preldzic took charge for the hosts. A bucket on the offensive glass, a three from the top of the key and a layup in transition accounted for 7 quick points to restore Fenerbahce’s belief. After a Jackson pull-up jumper, Preldzic added a free throw. Grimau’s free throws were equaled by a Jerrells basket. Grimau kept the momentum with Bilbao when he turned a near turnover to a one-handed heave for three points and a 45-61 lead. Banic and Josh Fisher added baskets to pump the lead back to 19. Preldzic sank another three, But Banic’s offensive rebound and bank shot at the buzzer left the visitors holding a 50-67 lead with 10 minutes to go.

Banic remained the hot hand for Gescrap and Mumbru showed off his skills with a fine move that finished with a dish to Banic. Preldzic responded with a pull-up jumper, but Kostas Vasiliadis cancelled it out with a triple that made it a 22-point game. Bogdanovic hit back from behind the arc and Jerrells clawed the hosts within 59-74. The visitors slowed the pace and Fenerbahce almost seemed to have accepted defeat. With three minutes left some fans started pouring out of the arena. Ukic sank a triple with two-and-a-half minutes to go to leave slim hopes, but Grimau’s layup practically sealed the outcome.