One triumph in 1999 marked a halt in the bombings that history was writing, and then another victory 23 years later in a group stage match; everything else was defeat. This fueled the legend that Buducnost Voli finds Turkey to be nearly unbeatable.

The new Eurocup season has already seen two visits to Turkey for the “blue and whites,” with a crucial third approaching—the playoffs against Turk Telekom.

In the previous two encounters in Istanbul, the team led by Andrej Žakelj fell short against Beşiktaş and Bahçeşehir and will now aim for their third victory on Turkish soil in Ankara.

Historic Victory in the Saporta Cup

The first victory in Turkey, which also stands as one of the club’s finest moments, occurred in March 1999. Buducnost, riding the momentum of players like Dragan Vukčević, Gavrilo Pajović, Nikola Bulatović, Zeljko Topalovic, Goran Bošković, and Dejan Radonjić, overturned the formidable Tofaş in the second leg of the FIBA Saporta Cup quarter-finals.

The “Blue and Whites” secured an 82:64 victory in Bursa (having lost 67:65 in the first match in Morača), showcasing the strength of Tofaş, who were the Turkish champions for two consecutive years and boasted the legendary Dejvid Rivers on their roster.

The American point guard had just become a European champion with Olympiacos two years earlier, clinched the MVP title at the Final Four, and was the top scorer with 28 points against Olimpija Ljubljana in the semifinals and 26 against Barcelona in the finals.

Buducnost impressively advanced to the semifinals, losing the first finals match against Benetton in Treviso (76:60). Due to the bombs falling on FR Yugoslavia, the rematch in Podgorica could not take place, and it was registered as a 20:0 win for the eventual champions, equivalent to today’s Eurocup.

Cobbs, Perry, and a Stroke of Luck

The second triumph on Turkish soil came more recently, in April 2022, where Buducnost celebrated another victory in Bursa—this time against the team named after the region in the north-west.

This clash was pivotal for playoff positioning in the Eurocup, with the team coached by Aleksandar Dzikic emerging victorious 89:86, narrowly avoiding overtime after Bursa missed two crucial shots down the stretch.

The “Blue and Whites” were propelled to victory by two former Montenegrin point guards—Justin Cobbs and Kendrick Perry.

Challenges Against Turk Telekom

However, the odds are stacked against Buducnost, as evidenced by their recent matches against Turkish teams, including their next opponent, Turk Telekom.

The “Blue and Whites” have faced Turkish teams four times this season, suffering defeats in each encounter—twice to Bahçeşehir and Beşiktaş, with the Montenegrin champions almost clinching a victory in one of those matches against Dejan Radonjić and Marko Simonović.

In a gripping match, the Istanbul club outlasted Buducnost 95:93 after overtime.

When it comes to Turk Telekom, Buducnost holds an unfortunate record of 0-4, having faced them in all their previous games.

Turk Telekom claimed victories of 84:71 in Podgorica for the 2022:23 season and 77:72 at home, while the following season saw them win 96:73 in “Morača” and just barely 79:77 in Turkey, where McKinley Wright missed a last-second attempt to force overtime.

This season, Buducnost’s point guard is in remarkable form, having secured many wins, and now has the chance to “correct” previous shortcomings at the same venue.

With recent performances looking promising and a bit of luck finally in their favor, it appears to be an ideal moment for Buducnost to breach the “Turkish fortress” for a third time.

Clarity on this matter will emerge around March 4th or 5th.

News