Milan tops Fenerbahce in Round 24 makeup game
Shabazz Napier scored 21 of his game-high 26 points in the second half to lead EA7 Emporio Armani Milan to a wire-to-wire 75-82 road victory over Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul at Ulker Sports and Event Hall on Tuesday night. The game was a makeup of their Round 24 game, which had been postponed due to the devastating earthquake that struck Turkiye and Syria. The victory lifted Milanās record to 13-16 and brought it within 2 wins of the playoff zone, while Fenerbahce remained in fifth place at 17-12, but failed to gain ground on the top four teams. The result also clinched a playoff berth for idle Real Madrid.
Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot added 19 points for the winners and Johannes Voigtmann contributed 8 points and 8 rebounds. Johnathan Motley posted 22 points and 9 boards in defeat for Fenerbahce, Marko Guduric added 19 points and Carsen Edwards, who played a big role in keeping Fenerbahceās hopes alive down the stretch, finished with 16 points.
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Luwawu-Cabarrot and Motley shined early for their respective teams as Milan carved out a slim lead. Threes by Voigtmann and Stefano Tonut helped Milan surge ahead and it was 18-23 after 10 minutes. Nemanja Bjelica trimmed the Fenerbahce deficit to 2 early in the second quarter and, though the hosts could not get closer, the margin was a slender 35-37 at halftime.
Napier took over in the second half; he erupted for 11 points in a 5-16 run that gave the visitors a 42-55 lead. Luwawu-Cabarrot, who had the other 5 Milan points in that run, later extended the margin to a game-high of 47-61. Guduric and Edwards scored the final 5 points of the third quarter to give the hosts hope at 52-61. Napier continued to hit big shots inĀ the fourth to keep Fenerbahce at bay. Edwards and Motley let a late rally to get within 72-76 and 75-79, but both times Billy Baron rescued Milan to put the win on ice.