KAUNAS. Fenerbahçe sealed their place in the EuroLeague Final Four with a 90-94 victory over Zalgiris Kaunas in a dramatic fourth game decided in overtime. Sarunas Jasikevicius's squad closed out the series 3-1 and will face Olympiacos in the OAKA semifinals, after withstanding the Lithuanian team's late comeback in a packed Zalgirio Arena.
The game had rhythm and back-and-forth action from the start. Fenerbahçe got off to a strong start and closed the first quarter with a lead (20-25), maintaining offensive control in the second quarter to head into halftime ahead (42-47). However, Zalgiris raised their level after the break and managed to flip the scoreboard in the third quarter, entering the final ten minutes with a slim advantage (62-61).
The final stretch was a genuine exchange of tension and crucial baskets. When it seemed Fenerbahçe had the game under control after going up seven with 43 seconds remaining (83-90), Zalgiris responded to keep hope alive. Wade Baldwin then stepped up with a difficult layup with 1.6 seconds left to tie the game at 80 and force overtime.
In the extra period, the Turkish squad showed more composure in key moments. Silvan Francisco had a three-pointer to put Zalgiris ahead with 29 seconds remaining, but failed to convert it. Taylen Horton-Tucker sealed the win from the free throw line and also secured the rebound after another missed three-point attempt by the Lithuanian squad.
With this victory, Fenerbahçe reaches their eighth EuroLeague Final Four and keeps alive their dream of winning a new continental title. The Turkish team will now face Olympiacos, who had closed out their series against Monaco with a dominant 3-0 sweep.