The Turkish side made it to the semifinals last season and now wants much more
Games to Watch: Besiktas Fibabanka Istanbul
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When it comes to the BKT EuroCup, there is no time like now for Besiktas Fibabanka Istanbul, which reached the semifinals last season for the first time in 10 appearances in the competition.
Besiktas has a strong fan base and has kept a core of players led by head coach Dusan Alimpijevic. Here are some of the key dates in the upcoming 2024-25 regular season.
Round 2: A rare Istanbul derby
Besiktas ranks 14th in EuroCup games played with 120. Only three of them have come against Turkish teams, however. In 2008, Besiktas registered a painful 60-61 loss against archrivals Galatasaray Istanbul in a do-or-die quarterfinal showdown in Turin, Italy. In the 2014-15 campaign, Besiktas lost twice against Pinar Karsiyaka Izmir.
Coach Alimpijevic's squad take on Bahcesehir College Istanbul on October 1 is the first-ever EuroCup game between two Istanbul-based teams played in that city which is, by definition, special.
Round 6: Finally on the road
In addition to that Round 2 game against Bahcesehir, Besiktas plays four of its opening five games in Istanbul. That means that Besiktas will not leave Turkiye until it visits Wolves Twinsbet Vilnius in Round 6 on October 29. It is also a game that is marked in red for Besiktas and its fans.
Last season, Wolves grabbed a 90-88 home win in the Lithuanian capital behind 31 points from Tre'Shawn Thurman. It was its only loss in the opening six games, and Besiktas led 80-87 with 21 seconds remaining. Expect Besiktas to be fully focused and show its best version in this game.
Round 17: A high-profile showdown
In a rematch of last season's eighthfinals, Besiktas comes up against Dreamland Gran Canaria, having beaten the then-reigning champion 78-80. Besiktas visits Gran Canaria on January 29, 2025, with barely one more game to play in regular-season action.
Coach Alimpijevic and playmaker Derek Needham are set to visit Gran Canaria Arena for the fourth consecutive season, too. Needham played there with Mornar Bar, Bursaspor and now Besiktas. It can be a critical game to clinch a playoffs spot or a top-two finish in their regular-season group, so keeping an eye on the tie-break advantage could be as critical as the win.