The defending champs fended off a resilient Paris squad, leaving even Coach Jasikevicius impressed
Fenerbahce's offense already clicking: 'We play our brand of basketball’
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Regular Season
Round 1 of 38
Regular Season
Fenerbahce Beko IstanbulFBB
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The defending champions made sure their opening night was a memorable one as Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul cruised past Paris Basketball 96-77 on Wednesday. The win marked the largest margin of victory in this season’s Round 1 games, fueled by an explosive 15 made three-pointers and 25 assists.
“It’s an incredible way to start the season, especially at home as the defending champions,” Wade Baldwin said in his postgame interview with EuroLeague TV. “We’re a bit of a new team with a lot of new faces, but everyone’s fitting in well. We’re playing the right way, we’re playing our brand, and that’s why we won.”
Paris, led by Nadir Hifi, showcased its best efforts to keep the game competitive. Hifi displayed his unlimited shooting range, while new playmaker Justin Robinson pushed the tempo, and head coach Francesco Tabellini kept his team fresh with frequent substitutions – even swapping out the entire starting lineup just 2 minutes and 33 seconds into the first quarter.
Despite Paris's hustle, which included 18 offensive rebounds compared to Fenerbahce’s 5, and an overall 46-35 rebounding edge, their efforts only kept them in the game until midway through the third quarter.
After Fenerbahçe squandered a 13-point lead from the second quarter, Hifi’s spark helped Paris briefly take the lead. But the Turkish powerhouse quickly responded. Talen Horton-Tucker, who struggled in the first half, erupted for 19 of his 20 points in the second half. Nicolo Melli caught fire late in the third quarter, draining 9 points, all from three-pointers – including a buzzer-beater with just 1.2 seconds left.
That dagger was a crushing blow for Paris, but Fenerbahçe’s balanced attack sealed the deal. Devon Hall was also instrumental, finishing the game with a career-high 22 points, including 5-for-6 shooting from beyond the arc. Baldwin controlled the offense with 10 assists, helping guide Fenerbahce’s offensive flow.
Coach Sarunas Jasikevicius summed it up: “If you take away the rebounds and points in transition, our half-court defense and offense were solid. We’re pleased with that.”
Despite some rough patches, particularly on the boards and in transition defense, Fenerbahce showed flashes of brilliance. Horton-Tucker’s second-half surge, Melli’s timely shooting, and Hall’s consistency highlighted the depth of their roster. Even NBA newcomer Brandon Boston, playing just 9 minutes, chipped in with 5 points and 3 rebounds.
“We understand that for guys coming from the NBA, it’s not easy to adjust,” Jasikevicius said. “Paris threw defenses at them they haven’t seen in a long time. Nobody in the NBA plays such aggressive hedging. But they adjusted well. We need to be patient with them, and I’m confident they’ll help us a lot this season.”
Even with plenty of room for improvement and still a long way to go in building team chemistry, Fenerbahçe is already looking like a formidable force – one that could become even more dangerous as the season progresses.