Bahceşehir may lack the traditional Turkish atmosphere found in other arenas, yet winning at the “Sinan Erdem dom” presents a formidable challenge, as evidenced by the fact that Dejan Radonjić’s team approached their match against Budućnost Voli with a perfect record of seven wins at home…

The Montenegrin champions also could not break this tough streak, coming agonizingly close to achieving the biggest victory of the Eurocup season, as they fell just short in a thrilling match that went into overtime, losing 95:93.

Andrej Žakelj’s squad managed to force overtime thanks to a last-second shot by Đorđi Jovanović that tied the game at 82:82. However, during the overtime period, he missed a crucial defensive rebound, and Jogi Ferel scored in the final moments with the score at 94:91, extinguishing their hopes for victory…

Despite putting up a brave fight, Budućnost may have been hindered by questionable referee decisions and technical fouls issued against the bench and coach, which seemed to tilt the match in favor of the home team… The disparity in free throw attempts (39:12) appears to underscore the officials’ judgement.

A significant victory would have paved the way to the playoffs, leaving Žakelj and his players aware that the path ahead would prove challenging if they hope to advance in the Eurocup beyond the group stage…

Bahceşehir surged to a 14:7 lead thanks to a three-pointer from Dzejlin Smith, but then Džuvan Morgan took charge with a stunning display—hitting a three-pointer, making a defensive block, and sealing the momentum with an exhilarating dunk, which allowed Budućnost to sneak ahead 18:15, prompting Dejan Radonjić to call a timeout.

After this initial surge, however, Bahceşehir struggled to break through the Montenegrin defense, going without a field goal for seven and a half minutes.

Conversely, Andrej Žakelj’s players managed to maintain their lead largely through successful three-pointers from Fletcher Maggi, Jovanović, and Rašid Sulaymo, culminating in a seven-point lead before heading into halftime with a score of 41:37.

Budućnost quickly built up an eight-point lead (45:37) through efforts from Ferel and Kamenjaš, but the third quarter posed a challenge for the “blue and white” team, as they experienced a notable slump compared to their previous match in October. Though they avoided a drastic 17:0 run, Bahçeşehir took the lead for the first time in a long while through Aksel Butej, wrapping up the third quarter with a three-pointer from Furkan Korkmaz that gave them a three-point edge (61:58).

Bahçeşehir led at the start of the fourth quarter, even stretching their advantage to 63:58. Yet, true to form, Megi stepped up for Budućnost, scoring two vital three-pointers to keep the guests within striking distance.

With four minutes remaining, Tyler Kavano propelled Bahceşehir to a 77:70 lead with a series of impressive plays. It raised the question of whether Budućnost had enough strength left for yet another comeback; however, the response came swiftly as Ferel and Wright, who Žakelj had paired together, asserted their determination to ensure the Montenegrin champions would not go down easily this time.

This set the stage for an exhilarating finish, as Budućnost managed to take the lead 80:79 with 79 seconds remaining, following a three-pointer from Morgan. Then, on an extended possession, Smith connected on a shot beyond the arc to give the visitors an 82:80 advantage, seemingly positioning them for victory.

However, Đorđije Jovanović, who had recently starred in a previous game against Dubai, managed to extend the match into overtime with a last-second shot—a crucial moment made bittersweet as he inadvertently stepped on the three-point line (ending at 82:82).

In the overtime period, Budućnost secured a narrow lead at 88:87. With baskets from the ever-reliable Rajt, Radonjić’s squad displayed composure and strategy on the court during the crucial final minutes…

At pivotal moments in key rival attacks, Futura failed to bolster its defense adequately, allowing the match to slide away from them as the final whistle confirmed Bosphorus’s victory at 95:93.

BAHÇESEHIR – BUDUĆNOST 95:93 (17:21, 20:20, 24:17, 21:24, 13:11)

Istanbul – Hall “Sinan Erdem dom”. Spectators: 2,000. Referees: Alijaga (Spain), Silva (Portugal), Kowalski (Poland).

Bahceşehir: SMIT 19 (7-7), HAZER 11 (7-3), Haltali (2-0), Iljasoglu, Mutaf, Arna, Simonović 4 (2-2), ODIJASE 16 (10-6), Korkmaz 4 (3-1), KAVANO 18 (3-2), Baš, BUTEJ 23 (5-4).

Budućnost: MORGAN 14 (4-2), SULAJMON 9 (2-2), Ilić, Megi 11 (2-2), SLAVKOVIĆ 2, Tanasković 2, FEREL 16, Jovanović 5, Omić 8 (2-2), Rajt 14 (2-1), KAMENJAŠ 12.

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