La Laguna Tenerife got a winning start in the EuroCup. The black-and-gold squad defeated Türk Telekom 82-75 at Santiago Martín, delivering an impressive debut that lived up to expectations following the competition change after a decade in the Basketball Champions League.
A response after the league opener
Jaka Lakovic's team came into the game looking to shake off the bitter taste of their Liga Endesa debut, when they fell at home to Casademont Zaragoza by one point (80-81), with a Jaworski basket with just six-tenths of a second remaining.
This time they found more consistency and managed the different phases of the game to reach the decisive stretch with a chance to close it out.
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The merit of the opponent
Türk Telekom was no ordinary debutant. The Ankara squad was EuroCup runner-up in 2023 and semifinalist last season, with a 12-6 record in the regular phase.
They also arrived with the momentum of winning their home opener against Karsiyaka (73-72), and they posed a demanding challenge that forced Tenerife to maintain concentration throughout all forty minutes.
What's next
The Canary Islands side will continue their European adventure on October 6 in the second matchday of the group phase against the London Lions.