Latest:
mar 30 2026The BKT EuroCup semifinals will feature an all-Turkish matchup between Besiktas GAIN Istanbul and Bahcesehir College Istanbul, two teams seeking to reach the competition final for the first time in their history. The winner of this series will become the fifth Turkish club to reach the tournament's championship game.
Turkey has had representation in several EuroCup finals over the years, with four different teams reaching that stage and two of them becoming champions. However, neither Besiktas nor Bahcesehir has achieved that feat yet, which adds a historic component to a series that promises intensity.
The path to the semifinals
Besiktas arrives at the series with home-court advantage after finishing first in Group B with a 13-5 record, which allowed them to advance directly to the quarterfinals. There they avoided an upset against Dolomiti Energia Trento, winning 77-76 thanks to decisive free throws from Conor Morgan and Jonah Mathews in the final seconds.
The team coached by Dusan Alimpijevic has made the BJK GAIN Sports Complex a true fortress. They finished the regular season 9-0 at home and extended that streak to 10-0 after defeating Trento. However, their performance on the road has been much more irregular, with a 4-5 record as visitors, the worst mark among the four semifinalists.
For their part, Bahcesehir finished second in Group A with a 12-6 record, which also earned them a direct pass to the quarterfinals. In that round they overcame a difficult matchup against U-BT Cluj-Napoca 75-72, decided by five consecutive points from Tyler Cavanaugh in the final 23 seconds.
Interestingly, the Turkish team has shown much more solid performance away from home. Their 7-2 road record was the best away mark of the entire EuroCup regular season, making Bahcesehir a real threat to end Besiktas' home unbeaten streak.
Clash of stars on the perimeter and in the paint
One of the season's biggest stars has been Malachi Flynn, who has shined in his first campaign in Europe. The American point guard averages 17.7 points, 4.2 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 1.6 steals, establishing himself as Bahcesehir's offensive leader.
Across from him will be Jonah Mathews, Besiktas' leading scorer with 13.7 points per game and coming off a 23-point performance against Trento in the quarterfinals. The duel between both perimeter players could set the tone for the series.
In the paint, the focus will be on the matchup between Ante Zizic and Trevion Williams. The Croatian center is having a dominant season in his EuroCup debut, with 12.7 points and 7.6 rebounds per game, while Williams arrives after a double-double of 11 points and 16 rebounds against Cluj.
Offense versus offensive rebounding
The statistics reflect different styles. Besiktas possesses one of the tournament's most potent offenses with 93.1 points per game, and also stands out in assists (22.2) and shooting percentages. However, their defense is the most permissive among the semifinalists, allowing 83.4 points per game.
Bahcesehir, on the other hand, bases part of its strength on the offensive rebound, where it leads the competition with 13.8 captures per game, while maintaining a more consistent defense that allows 81.4 points per night.
With two well-differentiated styles and a ticket to the final at stake, this semifinal promises to become one of the most attractive matchups of the EuroCup.
