Fenerbahçe Beko outlasted Beşiktaş 91-87 in a fierce Game 4 battle Monday night, sealing the Basketball Super League playoff finals with a 3-1 series win at the packed Basketbol Gelişim Merkezi.
In a clash brimming with intensity, Fenerbahçe held their nerve in a back-and-forth final quarter after leading most of the way.
The Yellow Canaries grabbed a 26-22 advantage in the first quarter and stayed ahead at halftime, 49-45.
Though the third quarter saw Beşiktaş push back hard, Fenerbahçe clung to a 68-65 edge heading into the final frame.
The last 10 minutes were a war of attrition.
Beşiktaş, fueled by sharpshooter Jonah Mathews’ game-high 26 points, rallied but faltered in crunch time, missing key chances in the dying seconds.
Nigel Hayes-Davis and Baldwin IV powered Fenerbahçe with 15 and 24 points, respectively, to secure the win and a shot at the championship.
Off the court, the game saw special guests steal the spotlight early on as children from a local rehabilitation center joined players for the pregame ceremony, even presenting gifts to team captains.
The game was also a rare occasion where Beşiktaş President Serdal Adalı and Fenerbahçe President Ali Koç watched side by side from the stands.
But tension later erupted in the Fenerbahçe suite, where verbal clashes between fans and officials prompted Koç’s intervention.
Adalı followed shortly to help defuse the incident.
