With new faces on each bench and plenty of challenges in the new year ahead, the first Istanbul derby of the EuroLeague season is packed with possibilities.
Trademarks by Eurohoops: A new era in the Istanbul derby
Trademarks
1 Min read
Erdem Can began building a new-look Anadolu Efes Istanbul squad over the summer, following the departures of his predecessor, Ergin Ataman, and superstar guard Vasilije Micic.
Sarunas Jasikevicius recently became the new face on Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul's bench, replacing Dimitris Itoudis in what felt like a sudden shift, but gave way to three straight wins.
Their arrivals add special meaning to this week's clash between the two Turkish powerhouses even beyond the normally elevated significance of a cross-town derby. Appropriately, the Istanbul derby will open Round 17, the last of both the year and the first leg of the regular season, with a bang.