The first semifinal matchup in the Eurocup features Istanbul Bahçeşehir against Gran Canaria. The Spanish team triumphed over Hapoel Jerusalem (92:89) last night in Belgrade, while Bahçeşehir secured a victory against Cedevita-Olimpija (85:81) in the “Sinan Erdem Dome”.

Coached by Montenegrin Dejan Radonjić, Bahçeşehir pulled off a remarkable upset against Cedevita-Olimpija in the quarterfinals. Zvezdan Mitrović’s team was ahead by 19 points (30:11) and held a nine-point lead at the start of the final period, but the Turkish squad, featuring Montenegrin national player Marko Simonović, turned the game around.

“We’ve done well this season in the Eurocup, and reaching the semi-finals makes us very happy. It was a significant win for us. The game was tough; we began sluggishly, were a bit nervous, and defensively weak in the first half. However, we performed much better in the latter part of the game, aside from a few lapses in the third quarter. Ultimately, we came out on top. Playing in front of such a crowd was fantastic,” expressed Radonjić following the match.

Bahçeşehir managed to cut their deficit from 19 points to just eight by halftime. In the final quarter, they executed a 14:0 run, taking a 75:69 lead and marking their first progression to the semifinals in club history. The Turkish team remains unbeaten at home in the Eurocup this season, with the victory against Cedevita-Olimpija being their 10th win at the “Sinan Erdem Dome” in European play.

“At halftime, I advised the players to stay composed and take it possession by possession, urging them to step up their defensive game. We succeeded in the second half, despite making typical mistakes. Halving the 19-point deficit after the first half was crucial, and it ultimately led us to a significant victory,” concluded Dejan Radonjić.

Cedevita-Olimpija reached the Eurocup quarterfinals for the first time in three years.

“Kudos to our opponent; I wish them all the best moving forward in the tournament. The atmosphere was electric, and everyone enjoyed the game, especially the home crowd. Both teams played admirably, but in the end, the better team earned their spot to advance,” stated Cedevita-Olimpija coach Zvezdan Mitrović.

Later today, two additional quarterfinal matches are set to take place in the Eurocup: Hapoel Tel Aviv vs. Turk Telekom (18:20) and Valencia vs. Cluj (30:XNUMX).

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