Euroleague: Fenerbahce wins Istanbul derby

Round 20 of the Euroleague is underway and there were three games on Thursday to open the action. Fenerbahce secured a victory over Galatasaray in the second Istanbul derby of the week. Elsewhere, Maccabi Tel Aviv picked up a vital victory with a home win over Unics Kazan. The big news is Crvena Zvezda Belgrade’s continued success with a win over Panathinaikos.

Fenerbahce Istanbul vs. Galatasaray Istanbul, 85-80

The second Istanbul derby of the week saw Fenerbahce down old foe Galatasaray. This contest between last season’s Euroleague runner up (Fenerbahce) and the current EuroCup champs (Galatasaray). The win pushed the hosts to 13-7 in 4^th place, while Galatasaray stays bottom of the standings at 6-14. The visitors looked to be cruising through halftime with a 41-54 advantage. However, Fenerbahce controlled the second half and managed to kill the game in the closing minutes. Jan Veseley led the win with 20 points and 7 rebounds.

Crvena Zvezda Belgrade vs. Panathinaikos Athens, 72-66

The story of the season is arguably Crvena Zvezda’s amazing charge up the standings. The latest victim of the Serbian champ was Greek heavyweight and former Euroleague title holder Panathinaikos. This victory takes Belgrade to 12-8 and is becoming a real contender after its seventh consecutive win. As for Panathinaikos, the Athens club is still very much in the mix at 11-9. Check out our special report on Crvena Zvezda Belgrade coming on Friday in the Breaking News section.

Maccabi Tel Aviv vs. Unics Kazan, 60-52

Maccabi Tel Aviv picked up a much-needed win over Unics Kazan, a club that is also slipping down the standings. The Israeli giant has had a terrible time, losing three consecutive and winning just one in its last 10. This result leaves Tel Aviv and Unics on the same 7-13 record. The hosts secured 16-9 first quarter and managed to hold a 33-24 advantage through the long break. Despite losing the second half, the hosts controlled the pace and held on for victory. Andrew Goudelock topped the win with 17 points.