Coach Alimpijevic's squad secured the win with the key contributions from the bench
Besiktas digs deep to keep its EuroCup momentum going
Game Report
3 Mins read
Regular Season
Round 3 of 18
Regular Season
group b
Besiktas GAIN IstanbulBJK
9388
NINERS ChemnitzNIN
group b
Overview
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Besiktas GAIN Istanbul seems to have the wind back in its sails. Fueled by strong home support at the BJK GAIN Sports Complex, the Turkish team followed up last week’s win over the London Lions with another strong performance, defeating NINERS Chemnitz 93–88 to move to 2–1 in the BKT EuroCup. In a hard-fought battle, Besiktas showed its depth to come out on top.
Besiktas’s bench proved decisive in securing the win, with captain Yigit Arslan and Berk Ugurlu stepping up when it mattered most.
Arslan carried the team with 19 points and a game-high 23 PIR, knocking down big threes at crucial moments to keep Besiktas ahead. Ugurlu added pace and creativity from the guard spot, recording 8 points and a EuroCup career-high 12 assists, driving the offense when the game was on the line.
Even with a strong home win, Besiktas’s defensive struggles showed throughout the night. Chemnitz repeatedly found easy scoring opportunities. Although the Turkish side built a 14-point lead in the second quarter, it couldn’t maintain it, heading into the final frame tied at 68–68.
Head coach Dusan Alimpijevic wasn’t satisfied with the overall performance, saying:
“The only good thing tonight is the win. This is the only thing that I’m satisfied [with]. I believe we prepared in the best possible way, but we didn’t follow our preparation, and we struggled a lot. We had problems – a lot – so when you receive almost 90 points, 88 at home, this is unacceptable for me. As I said, the only good thing is this win. That’s it.”
In the first half, Besiktas found its rhythm from beyond the arc, knocking down 7-of-13 three-point attempts to fuel an efficient offensive display.
However, the second half told a different story. Sticking with the same perimeter-oriented game plan, Besiktas connected on just one three-pointer in the third quarter, allowing Chemnitz to claw back into the game.
The hosts added only one more three in the fourth – made by Arslan – and finished the night shooting 37.5% from deep.
Despite the team’s ups and downs, Arslan shined individually, going 5 of 6 from long range to cap off a standout performance. Besiktas’s win was also supported by contributions inside from Ante Zizic, who added 17 points and 7 rebounds, and timely shots from Jonah Mathews, who scored 18 points and made an impact despite fouling out in the fourth quarter.
Chemnitz made the most of Besiktas’s defensive lapses, especially in one-on-one situations. Corey Davis Jr. and Kevin Yebo repeatedly exploited mismatches through pick-and-roll actions, creating easy scoring opportunities for the German side.
Like Besiktas, Chemnitz also struggled from deep, but attacking the paint remained their biggest weapon. They chipped away at Besiktas’s 13-point advantage, heading into the fourth quarter with momentum after a string of fast-break layups.
Despite their short rotation, Chemnitz delivered a big game, led by Yebo, who posted 32 points and 7 rebounds while also hitting three triples to stretch the floor effectively.
However, it still wasn’t enough to stop Beşiktaş from closing out the win.
Alimpijevic’s squad will aim to build on their winning run as they face another German team, ratiopharm ulm, in Round 4.
