The Turkish side led for most of the contest but had to fend off a spirited late fightback by its Lithuanian rival
Turk Telekom grinds out tough home win over Lietkabelis, 72-66
Game Report
3 Mins read
Turk Telekom Ankara made a winning start to the BKT EuroCup season, scraping a 72-66 home victory over 7Bet-Lietkabelis Panevezys, giving Coach Erden Can a perfect homecoming. Can, who steered Turk Telekom to the 2023 EuroCup final, took over for a second stint at the club after a brief spell at Anadolu Efes Istanbul last season. He was able to breathe a sigh of relief after Kyle Alexander inspired Turk Telkom with 11 points and 9 rebounds.
Anthony Brown also propelled the hosts with 11 points to go with as many boards, while big man Yoan Makoundou posted 12 points and 4 rebounds to underlie a cohesive team effort. At the other end, Georgios Kalaitzakis, Oleksandr Kovliar and Vytkenis Lipkevicius netted 12 points each while Marko Pecarski amassed 10 points and 8 rebounds for battling Lietkabelis.
Game Videos
- 00:29
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2025/03/12/IVUaXPyKtGsmBHdKCc3TEJeTGhV50voZ-1741819797365.jpg]()
Makoundou’s emphatic slam! Magic Moment of the Night
![https://img.youtube.com/vi/9z2JH1JQL9o/maxresdefault.jpg]()
Hapoel Shlomo Tel Aviv-Turk Telekom Ankara | Quarterfinals Highlights | 2024-25 BKT EuroCup
- 01:07
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2025/03/05/HOCW62b1kyZuTOUzfQPRCMUNvm3AnbCV-1741202139228.jpg]()
Kyle Alexander: 'We are a team full of fighters'
![https://img.youtube.com/vi/83zXy6Kix-E/maxresdefault.jpg]()
Turk Telekom Ankara-Buducnost VOLI Podgorica | Eighthfinals Highlights | 2024-25 BKT EuroCup
- 00:09
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/2bec47ae-e172-4367-9c60-0d8815f13bda.jpg?crop=1080%3A608%3Anowe%3A62%3A38]()
Alexander punishes the rim! Magic Moment
- 00:11
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/79c91f88-176b-4731-82ba-ea3259d73344.jpg?crop=1080%3A607%3Anowe%3A94%3A250]()
What an alley-oop for Makoundou! Magic Moment
![https://img.youtube.com/vi/OBeS234Mijs/maxresdefault.jpg]()
U18 ratiopharm Ulm vs U18 Zalgiris Kaunas I Round 3 NextGen Ulm Qualifier Highlights
![https://img.youtube.com/vi/5Zzy63JuT9Q/maxresdefault.jpg]()
Hapoel Bank Yahav Jerusalem-Turk Telekom Ankara | Round 18 Highlights | 2024-25 BKT EuroCup
- 00:14
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/79c91f88-176b-4731-82ba-ea3259d73344.jpg?crop=1059%3A595%3Anowe%3A102%3A226]()
Makoundou ends the quarter with a slam! Magic Moment,
![https://img.youtube.com/vi/gxY5ELiJyK4/maxresdefault.jpg]()
Umana Reyer Venice-7Bet-Lietkabelis Panevezys | Round 18 Highlights | 2024-25 BKT EuroCup
- 00:09
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/4f34e0ff-788a-4b09-b496-88c577237092.jpg?crop=1080%3A607%3Anowe%3A138%3A88]()
Danusevicius swats Wiltjer! Magic Moment
- 00:17
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/f22b4fa4-9027-4935-aa94-38ad06d20a1f.jpg?crop=902%3A508%3Anowe%3A83%3A140]()
Game-winner for Bickauskis! Magic Moment
![https://img.youtube.com/vi/GJsnDy3lASk/maxresdefault.jpg]()
7Bet-Lietkabelis Panevezys-U-BT Cluj-Napoca | Round 17 Highlights | 2024-25 BKT EuroCup
![https://img.youtube.com/vi/w-WlNUUzq_s/maxresdefault.jpg]()
Turk Telekom Ankara-Umana Reyer Venice | Round 17 Highlights | 2024-25 BKT EuroCup
- 00:22
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/6df66480-1a8c-42b5-847c-419756f08ed0.jpg?crop=1080%3A608%3Anowe%3A118%3A146]()
Alexander's big alley-oop dunk! Magic Moment
![https://img.youtube.com/vi/PKSCq6WF3aY/maxresdefault.jpg]()
Veolia Towers Hamburg-7Bet-Lietkabelis Panevezys | Round 16 Highlights | 2024-25 BKT EuroCup
- 00:27
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2025/01/21/faEEHcQIZXVJxDbTFY7P4EEzKU0hQPGR-1737493752274.jpg]()
Varnas with the reverse alley-oop! Magic Moment of the Night
- 00:08
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/9aff83cc-8154-4770-bb98-1b28bed2fb57.jpg?crop=1083%3A609%3Anowe%3A132%3A27]()
Gagic with the reverse dunk! Magic Moment
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/57ba786e-4e6d-409a-a07c-c679b9164a81.jpg]()
U-BT Cluj-Napoca-Turk Telekom Ankara | Round 16 Highlights | 2024-25 BKT EuroCup
- 00:07
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/826a628f-0d9d-4467-8ffc-20309ded0097.jpg?crop=1080%3A608%3Anowe%3A135%3A146]()
Great alley oop from Durmaz and Alexander! Magic Moment
![https://img.youtube.com/vi/UbwFRgBvRQo/maxresdefault.jpg]()
U18 Valencia Basket vs U18 Bayern Munich | Day 2 Next Gen Munich Qualifier Highlights
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/283da38e-aa75-4716-ab20-661e6243e85b.jpg]()
7Bet-Lietkabelis Panevezys-Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana | Round 13 Highlights | 2024-25 BKT EuroCup
- 00:17
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/2ceb3a3d-5798-4dcb-a4ea-499e3b8898b6.jpg?crop=1064%3A598%3Anowe%3A81%3A22]()
Varnas thrills with reverse alley-oop slam! Magic Moment
- 00:23
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2025/01/15/kArSwLJSSK2K026bhzljvdCqk5IRsRFg-1736978896254.jpg]()
Flying Alexander! Magic Moment of the Night
![https://img.youtube.com/vi/bW7bdTbKZT4/maxresdefault.jpg]()
Turk Telekom Ankara-Veolia Towers Hamburg | Round 15 Highlights | 2024-25 BKT EuroCup
- 00:13
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/c376e3cd-27ea-4885-b5cc-b161718bb72e.jpg?crop=682%3A384%3Anowe%3A337%3A110]()
Smith and Makoundou combine! Magic Moment
- 00:18
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/826a628f-0d9d-4467-8ffc-20309ded0097.jpg?crop=1080%3A608%3Anowe%3A135%3A146]()
Alexander on the alley oop! Magic Moment
- 00:14
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/4e6509f3-dff9-4f02-8cef-41cdb6ab8731.jpg?crop=1010%3A568%3Anowe%3A152%3A113]()
Makoundou gets airborne to hammer it home! Magic Moment
![https://img.youtube.com/vi/c6QfrrYsdg8/maxresdefault.jpg]()
7-Bet Lietkabelis Panevezys-Valencia Basket | Round 15 Highlights | 2024-25 BKT EuroCup
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/9a30bae0-1be5-4874-8cf1-8a1dd5c187bc.jpg]()
Valencia Basket-Turk Telekom Ankara | Round 14 Highlights | 2024-25 BKT EuroCup
![https://img.youtube.com/vi/rgPLUg6QWlk/maxresdefault.jpg]()
Cosea JL Bourg-en-Bresse-7bet-Lietkabelis Panevezys | Round 14 Highlights | 2024-25 BKT EuroCup
- 00:14
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/6218a6e4-0c21-414a-949c-57672f931bd2.jpg?crop=1080%3A608%3Anowe%3A126%3A175]()
Makoundou denies Badio!! Magic Moment
- 00:11
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/3443fdd1-b866-42d7-9041-c91f6a84f1e2.jpg?crop=1220%3A686%3Anowe%3A41%3A26]()
Maldunas throws it down big time! Motorola Magic Moment
- 00:10
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/0a261072-a73d-453a-84fe-f7d3b8fa4e04.jpg?crop=1080%3A608%3Anowe%3A164%3A71]()
Big dunk from Varnas! Motorola Magic Moment
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/6b323ac5-591b-498c-af8b-c27364c3c483.jpg]()
Turk Telekom-Cosea JL Bourg-en-Bresse | Round 13 Highlights | 2024-25 BKT EuroCup
- 00:10
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/e4d5576d-b5b0-401c-ac78-c05db2b2ef9f.jpg?crop=1080%3A608%3Anowe%3A62%3A178]()
Bess with eyes in the back of his head! Magic Moment
- 00:22
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/ef2f003d-a7f7-4333-a96e-dcabd874b047.jpg?crop=1080%3A607%3Anowe%3A94%3A68]()
Makoundou's alley-oop slam! Magic Moment
- 00:20
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/3443fdd1-b866-42d7-9041-c91f6a84f1e2.jpg?crop=1080%3A607%3Anowe%3A53%3A33]()
Maldunas has the solution to beat Valencia! Magic Moment
![https://img.youtube.com/vi/xXPPuE3QQpU/maxresdefault.jpg]()
Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana-Turk Telekom Ankara | Round 12 Highlights | 2024-25 BKT EuroCup
- 00:11
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/30e77f28-8d8e-4cf8-ae23-41dd09965aec.jpg?crop=1080%3A607%3Anowe%3A173%3A205]()
Stewart dunks off a steal! Magic Moment
- 00:10
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/8353de35-05e1-4288-9dc2-0d2233744d85.jpg?crop=858%3A483%3Anowe%3A76%3A71]()
Robinson throws it down! Magic Moment
- 00:13
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/0f385f7c-d90f-4114-be23-4a03df3528e5.jpg?crop=1080%3A607%3Anowe%3A147%3A56]()
Alexander blocks and Robinson dunks!
![https://img.youtube.com/vi/ADe7hkcccCI/maxresdefault.jpg]()
Aris Midea Thessaloniki-7-bet Lietkabelis Panevezys | Round 12 Highlights | 2024-25 BKT EuroCup
- 00:17
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/f485249f-0941-4094-8c90-5fe154dad9af.jpg?crop=1080%3A607%3Anowe%3A164%3A68]()
Varnas’s reverse alley-oop dunk! Magic Moment
![https://img.youtube.com/vi/bZo3BllnOts/maxresdefault.jpg]()
Hapoel Bank Yahav Jerusalem-7-bet Lietkabelis Panevezys | Round 11 Highlights | 2024-25 BKT EuroCup
- 00:19
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/ea17add6-088e-4d73-9c17-8642fc688523.jpg?crop=1080%3A607%3Anowe%3A123%3A30]()
Lipkevicius creates a triple from nothing! Magic Moment
![https://img.youtube.com/vi/zzJ9Vgml_zw/maxresdefault.jpg]()
Turk Telekom Ankara-Aris Midea Thessaloniki | Round 11 Highlights | 2024-25 BKT EuroCup
- 00:21
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/acd66f5b-7487-48b7-9a7a-b24c4ccbdf5d.jpg?crop=1080%3A607%3Anowe%3A123%3A65]()
Makoundou's big block! Magic Moment
- 00:13
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/508b9c17-8039-4c50-a063-866920150f45.jpg?crop=1080%3A607%3Anowe%3A150%3A88]()
Makoundou's put-back dunk! Magic Moment
![https://img.youtube.com/vi/eynybtRkEpY/maxresdefault.jpg]()
7-bet Lietkabelis Panevezys-Turk Telekom Ankara | Round 10 Highlights | 2024-25 BKT EuroCup
Can was pleased with the outcome although he conceded that his team would have to improve in all departments if it is to replicate the kind of form that saw the club reach the 2023 final.
“We talked about it before the game, they always play tough and consistent basketball,” Can said after the game. “The first game of the season is always difficult, we made too many easy mistakes but at the end of the day a win is a win."
Alexander, who joined Turk Telekom from Hapoel Tel Aviv during the offseason, concurred that grit and determination saw the team get across the finish line.
“I am grateful that we’ve got our first team win,” he said. “It wasn’t pretty, but we stepped up in the second half and took on the challenge with good rebounding.”
The contest got off to a spectacular start with Alexander racing through the paint for a slam-dunk in the opening possession, but it soon turned into a rugged and physical contest, with both sides struggling from long range in the wake of aggressive defense at both ends of the floor.
Alexander racked up 7 points in the first quarter as the home team opened up a 22-17 lead and Turk Telekom appeared set for some plain sailing as the advantage soared to 28-17 early in the second. However, Kovliar hauled Lietkabelis back into the game with a four-point play and the visitors engineered a 6-17 run to nose ahead 33-34, before Turk Telekom scored to take a slender 35-34 lead into the locker room at halftime.
Lietkabelis turned the tide again and led 35-39 early in the third but Turk Telekom showed its resilience as Brown hit a tough turnaround jumper to give the home team a 54-48 advantage heading into the final quarter.
The visitors threatened to force the final twist when a 2-8 run saw Turk Telekom’s lead slashed to 68-66, but Lietkabelis misfired from beyond the three-point arc at crunch time while Brown sealed the contest with the final 4 points of the game.
With both sides below par from downtown, as Turk Telekom made 3 of 16 while Lietkabelis hit 5 of 24, it was the home team’s dominance in the paint that made the difference. The Turkish side racked up 46 boards to the visiting team’s 37, having forced Lietkabelis to take a barrage of tough shots when the chips were down.
