Galatasaray’s hot shooting too much for Jerusalem

Galatasaray Odeabank Istanbul used a fantastic shooting night to hold off Hapoel Bank Yahav Jerusalem 87-79 on Wednesday in Group F. With the win, Galatasaray took sole possession of first place in Group F at 3-0, while Jerusalem dropped to 1-2. The home team made 16 of 31 three-point shots, including 4 without a miss in the final four minutes of the game after Jerusalem rallied to take 73-74 lead. Sinan Guler was 5 for 8 from downtown en route to 19 points and 7 assists for the winners. Caleb Green, Vladimir Micov and Blake Schilb each scored 15 points with at least 3 threes, too. E.J. Rowland led the Jerusalem attack with 18 points and 5 assists, Lior Eliyahu scored 16, Donta Smith added 13 points and 6 assists and Tony Gaffney netted 11 in defeat.

Eliyahu scored first for the visitors, but Guler answered with a triple. Smith and Schilb traded threes as Galatasaray took an 8-5 lead. Micov reeled off 5 quick points to make it 15-7. Then Schilb heated up as the lead ballooned to 20-9. Rowland and Eliyahu kept it close, but Guler nit another triple. Huseyin Koksal and Green each connected from downtown as the hosts raced to the 10-minute mark with a 33-22 advantage. Josh Duncan scored the first 4 points of the second quarter before Errick McCollum split free throws for his first point and a 37-26 lead. Matt Janning got Jerusalem going with a three-pointer and Gaffney added a pair of baskets to make it 41-37. Stephane Lasme free throws gave the hosts a 45-39 advantage at the break.

Eliyahu scored 6 points in a 0-7 start to the second half that gave Jerusalem its first lead since the first minute. Back-to-back triples by Green put the hosts back in control. Bar Timor kept Jerusalem knocking on the door with a pair of scores. Green and McCollum combined on an 8-0 run that gave Galatasaray a 62-52 lead. Smith netted 2 free throws to make it 62-54 through three quarters. Koksal’s put-back gave the hosts a promising 12-point advantage. A basket-plus-foul by Rowland and a triple by Yotam Halperin gave Jerusalem hope. Eliyahu scored twice in a 0-8 run that saw Rowland tie it at 71-71 with a layup in transition. Halperin netted a triple to push Jerusalem in front 73-74. But Guler connected on back-to-back threes to put Galatasaray back in control. Schilb also drained a three to make it 82-76. Jerusalem came back within 3 when Gaffney split free throws with 46 seconds to play, but a Micov three-pointer iced the Galatasaray victory.