Jekiri, Motley led Fenerbahce past Zalgiris

Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul had to battle incredibly hard to down Zalgiris Kaunas 87-79 at Ulker Sports and Event Hall on Friday evening. Fortunately for the hosts, Johnathan Motley and Tonye Jekiri stepped up to ensure that their team registered an important victory.
Things did not look good for Fenerbahce when Motley picked up his second foul and went to the bench early in the second quarter with the game tied at 12-12. However, Jekiri came off the bench and his effectiveness, both on mid-range jumpers and around the basket, allowed the hosts to balance their offense. He scored 10 points in the next eight minutes, hitting all 4 of his two-pointers in addition to making a pair of free throws.
Motley returned to the floor at the start of the third quarter and helped Fenerbahce keep a safe margin with 7 points, 2 rebounds and 2 assists in the next seven minutes. He also had a couple of dunks in the final two minutes to put the finishing touches on Fenerbahce's victory. Jekiri finished the game with 13 points on 5-of-6 two-pointers and 3-of-3 free throws, adding 5 rebounds and 2 assists for a PIR of 18. Motley had 13 points, 4 rebounds and a PIR of 12. Both players joined forces at the 5 position to make sure Fenerbahce celebrated a vital win in Round 30.