The London franchise fired on all cylinders on the offensive end in the first half and then played strong defense in the second.
Roaring Lions made Turk Telekom look like easy prey
Article
3 Mins read
The London Lions made history by becoming the first British club to reach the quarterfinals in European competition when they ripped apart Turk Telekom Ankara 100-77 in the BKT EuroCup Eighthfinals to book an away clash with U-BT Cluj-Napoca next week.
The Lions had struggled on home court this term and finished the regular season with a 4-5 record in the Copper Box arena, but on Wednesday evening they produced a masterclass performance and blew away last season’s EuroCup runner-up.
Serbian coach Petar Bozic, a former trophy-laden player who won a haul of domestic trophies with Partizan Belgrade, has lifted the Lions to the next level after taking over from American Ryan Schmidt. The 45-year-old tactician, once a versatile point guard, heaped praise on his team after the lopsided contest.
“Every day I spend with this group is unbelievable for me,” Bozic said after the game. “The guys came out ready to play while the defense was outstanding in the second half, so overall it was a great performance,” he added.
Bozic also looked forward to the quarterfinal clash with Cluj, the regular season’s surprise package as the Romania side finished runner-up in Group B and booked an automatic last-eight berth.
“We have a week from now to prepare for the game against Cluj and we’ll prepare like we have done for every game this season,” said Bozic."We’ll share the ball as that’s the biggest quality of this team.”
The Lions dominated every department against Turk Telekom, having racked up a whopping 40 rebounds against the Turkish team’s 28 and the hosts also dished out 23 assists while the visitors managed 15, having also committed 14 turnovers.
Game Videos
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Umana Reyer Venice-Turk Telekom Ankara | Round 8 Highlights | 2024-25 BKT EuroCup
- 00:15
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/508b9c17-8039-4c50-a063-866920150f45.jpg?crop=1080%3A607%3Anowe%3A147%3A88]()
A monster one-handed jam by Makoundou! Magic Moment
![https://img.youtube.com/vi/UUdbw5b2mWs/maxresdefault.jpg]()
Turk Telekom Ankara-U-BT Cluj-Napoca | Round 7 Highlights | 2024-25 BKT EuroCup
- 00:07
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/765bbe51-aa4c-40b8-a0bb-d4c052c2d5b6.jpg?crop=1080%3A607%3Anowe%3A93%3A25]()
A monster dunk by Anthony Brown! Magic Moment
- 00:11
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/4e6509f3-dff9-4f02-8cef-41cdb6ab8731.jpg?crop=1080%3A608%3Anowe%3A123%3A0]()
Two-handed dunk by Makoundou! Magic Moment
![https://img.youtube.com/vi/5xSLfevXOUI/maxresdefault.jpg]()
Veolia Hamburg Towers-Turk Telekom Ankara | Round 6 Highlights | 2024-25 BKT EuroCup
- 00:16
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/d5a75175-ba74-4d42-8d91-81e9d40c0187.jpg?crop=1080%3A608%3Anowe%3A182%3A120]()
Makoundou throws it down! Magic Moment
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/711bc31a-500c-4571-91eb-cec467cce94f.jpg]()
Turk Telekom Ankara-Valencia Basket | Round 5 Highlights | 2024-25 BKT EuroCup
- 00:10
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/a051f039-4181-4835-acb3-3d056f6329ec.jpg?crop=1080%3A608%3Anowe%3A167%3A152]()
Makoundou stops Lopez-Arostegui! Magic Moment
- 00:10
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Brown's huge dunk! Magic Moment
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/e6b72f01-53d9-4ebe-90a0-b24f62ba33f4.jpg]()
Cosea JL Bourg-en-Bresse-Turk Telekom Ankara | Round 4 Highlights | 2024-25 BKT EuroCup
- 00:23
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2024/10/08/zKF65eEOkn4TD8Yk3Nxv1ZFAc7G05GrP-1728418677240.jpg]()
Makoundou posterizes Beringer! Magic Moment of the Night
- 03:41
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2024/10/08/AkjeNvDdIXdQQXgcITbLNeLsOKHhO1Rt-1728416015458.jpg]()
Turk Telekom Ankara-Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana | Round 3 Highlights | 2024-25 BKT EuroCup
- 00:17
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/a051f039-4181-4835-acb3-3d056f6329ec.jpg?crop=1007%3A567%3Anowe%3A261%3A152]()
Makoundou’s two-handed put-back slam! Magic Moment
- 00:22
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/2316c158-da4e-4599-b6e9-e7e1f76bb268.jpg?crop=1080%3A608%3Anowe%3A94%3A44]()
Durmaz with a terrific put-back slam! Magic Moment
- 00:15
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Alexander slams home a powerful dunk! Magic Moment
- 00:09
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Makoundou posterizes Beringer! Magic Moment
- 03:55
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2024/10/02/sl4zeVcxlU2vh9cUdNDv54VhGxV5AeBd-1727898382695.jpg]()
Aris Midea Thessaloniki-Turk Telekom Ankara | Round 2 Highlights | 2024-25 BKT EuroCup
- 03:39
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/0c511e35-bbb2-4eaf-a03b-e7c6f35ff6c7.jpg]()
Turk Telekom Ankara-7bet Lietkabelis Panevezys | Round 1 Highlights | 2024-25 BKT EuroCup
- 00:10
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/3926e96a-b155-483e-a020-2c1be79b4b30.png]()
Magic Moment: Alexander with a spectacular dunk!
- 03:50
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2024/03/29/sayVeCUcIEwv1pr6YtSXwZccpvpRxscp-1711749890370.jpg]()
London Lions-Paris Basketball | Semifinals Game 2 Highlights | 2023-24 BKT EuroCup
- 00:17
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/abb2946e-0fb2-4401-a9e1-d8af35f0f6f7.jpg?crop=1080%3A607%3Anowe%3A129%3A170]()
Magic Moment: Connor Morgan with a huge dunk
- 00:14
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Magic Moment: Dekker with a two-handed slam-dunk
- 03:47
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2024/03/26/Mo7x8AJyNYEQPCM3xEN48TwubPhVcTLG-1711490637726.jpg]()
Paris Basketball-London Lions | Semifinals Game 1 Highlights | 2023-24 BKT EuroCup
- 00:31
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2024/03/26/5qj89pER49cak48tBK2DLfKl3cw2eeAT-1711489881598.jpg]()
Magic Moment of the Night: Nwaba steal and dunk!
- 00:12
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/d28d80a6-e8a7-40fb-91ac-a07cc60a0595.jpg?crop=1320%3A743%3Anowe%3A6%3A107]()
Magic Moment: Grantham throws it down!
- 00:16
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Magic Moment: Nwaba steal and dunk!
- 00:10
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/c9868bc0-4d3e-4d7c-842f-2d9a46ad968b.jpg?crop=1080%3A608%3Anowe%3A135%3A71]()
Magic Moment: Nelson's magic assist!
- 04:18
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2024/03/25/YhaqBsdIEOFYwLAcFW9MfBLY5Q9vJRXt-1711376521012.jpg]()
London eyes more history in semis against Paris
- 00:24
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2024/03/13/MzuWGbbQnmqeKUMQbcMJmBpkZlNab2uj-1710360281401.jpg]()
Magic Moment of the Night: Sharma rocks the rim!
- 03:51
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2024/03/13/iOJpzqtS6sxVogjU3plqthjkrB1CMXHG-1710358797738.jpg]()
U-BT Cluj-Napoca-London Lions | Quarterfinals Highlights | 2023-24 BKT EuroCup
- 00:13
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/9697e113-ec38-4b40-9bf2-50e368bbe145.jpg?crop=2594%3A1459%3Anowe%3A171%3A60]()
Magic Moment: Sharma with a block for the ages
- 00:15
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Magic Moment: Dekker beats the quarter buzzer
- 00:10
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/7b235e29-07e4-414e-ae6f-6f9441b559ff.jpg?crop=1214%3A682%3Anowe%3A65%3A89]()
Magic Moment: Sharma rocks the rim
- 00:10
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/5c06ca70-e74d-4093-a967-3987ada28180.jpg?crop=1286%3A724%3Anowe%3A22%3A0]()
Magic Moment: Nwaba drives and dunks
- 00:27
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2024/03/06/lRXOZbTdWygf3y8v4gW4sXbYCHRRoRpQ-1709767071755.jpg]()
Magic Moment of the Night: Matt Morgan connects with Grantham!
- 03:47
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2024/03/06/Rusv3DYVoxQgH6fM2PSi7M6dGohYMIFN-1709756021369.jpg]()
London Lions-Turk Telekom Ankara | Eighthfinals Highlights | 2023-24 BKT EuroCup
- 00:10
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Magic Moment: Grantham dunks!
- 04:13
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2024/02/07/ZOa9TBuSxU6vMiteCvcDuBeLKBYNqWC9-1707343425489.jpg]()
London Lions-Wolves Vilnius | Round 18 Highlights | 2023-24 BKT EuroCup
- 03:39
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2024/02/06/K8dmDJEUt57DNa6RZErte7P7wxqFAKa9-1707253397998.jpg]()
Slask Wroclaw-Turk Telekom Ankara | Round 18 Highlights | 2023-24 BKT EuroCup
- 00:04
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/8e95e119-46cc-4e4c-8871-d58b3ee0a11d.jpg?crop=1080%3A607%3Anowe%3A53%3A126]()
Magic Moment: Jones rejects Miletic!
- 03:43
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2024/01/31/mGPrgbIqaB4jk66z8rsOnb1xgwNUI3xM-1706730966510.jpg]()
Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana-London Lions | Round 17 Highlights | 2023-24 BKT EuroCup
- 03:33
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2024/01/31/OPxXH6prJrNNe43irgFX5ggzIIDmmB7O-1706730656809.jpg]()
Turk Telekom Ankara-Mincidelice JL Bourg en Bresse | Round 17 Highlights | 2023-24 BKT EuroCup
- 00:10
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/9697e113-ec38-4b40-9bf2-50e368bbe145.jpg?crop=2400%3A1350%3Anowe%3A242%3A92]()
Magic Moment: Sharma throws it down after nice feed
- 00:10
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/7db06d76-ac0c-4bbb-80a2-494ed107f32e.jpg?crop=1080%3A607%3Anowe%3A97%3A124]()
Magic Moment: Ulubay's huge block!
- 00:20
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/013df882-deea-4de3-9429-8d35e64da907.jpg?crop=1080%3A608%3Anowe%3A138%3A21]()
Magic Moment: Matkovic hammers home in traffic
- 00:26
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2024/01/24/59i77Ezpf4UvTaCk0ONGdSlvCw6G10n2-1706136261200.jpg]()
Magic Moment of the Night: Sharma's monster dunk!
- 03:46
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2024/01/24/bN1vJZESJJE2WSqsAYIH9W5Lxy6BYbKT-1706134330497.jpg]()
London Lions-Besiktas Emlakjet Istanbul | Round 16 Highlights | 2023-24 BKT EuroCup
- 00:10
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Magic Moment: Another monster dunk by Sharma!
- 00:14
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/a4160a18-969f-4f6d-99fa-c535a0f38318.jpg?crop=960%3A540%3Anowe%3A1020%3A236]()
Magic Moment: Sharma gets airborne for a monster dunk!
London had five players in double digits, with Gabe Olaseni amassing 18 points and 8 boards. Olaseni highlighted how vital it was for the Lions to have a full roster against Turk Telekom and singled out Josh Sharma’s effort after the big man poured 12 points to go with 5 rebounds.
“We’re lucky to have everyone back [to full fitness],” Olaseni pointed out. “Very happy for Josh Sharma, he really came out to play for this team today. We’ve got to have the same energy against Cluj next week. Every time we step out on the court we feel prepared, hence we’re going to be locked in and we’re going to be ready.”
The visiting team’s head coach Selcuk Ernak conceded his men were beaten by a superior rival and wished the Lions happy hunting in the rest of the playoffs.
“This is a great team, they’ve got speed and talent,” Ernak commented. “They punished us on the offensive end. We had our moments but it’s not enough at this level. Congratulations to London and I hope they can keep going.”