With six minutes remaining, Virtus Bologna was winning in Istanbul. They ended up losing by ten. Fenerbahce prevailed 78-68 at home in their EuroLeague opener, relying on defense and experience to resolve a game that had become complicated.
A More Uncomfortable Opponent Than Expected
The Italians put up a fight throughout the contest and remained competitive until the decisive stretch, even taking a 64-63 lead with six minutes to play.
That's when Fenerbahce tightened up defensively. With a significantly superior defense in that stretch and drawing on the experience of their roster, the Turkish side broke open the game and avoided any late-game drama.
The Numbers
Talen Horton-Tucker led the way with 13 points. Wade Baldwin and Shavon Shields each added 12, and Braxton Key recorded a double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds.
For Virtus, Marcus Carr scored 12 and Derrick Alston added 10.
What the Opener Says
Fenerbahce starts the season with a victory in a campaign where they made nine signings to address last season's problem: they had the best defense in the competition but the sixth-worst scoring, finishing fourth in the regular season with only a +53 point differential.
The two players who carried the scoring load—Baldwin and Horton-Tucker—are precisely two of the key pieces the club retained. And among the new arrivals, Braxton Key, coming from Valencia Basket, made his debut with a double-double.