Fenerbahçe Beko, Sunday defeated France’s Monaco 81-70 in a hard-fought Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Final Four clash in Abu Dhabi, capturing the club’s second EuroLeague title and securing Türkiye’s fourth overall championship.
The final opened with both sides locking into intense defensive pressure. Monaco’s sharpshooters struck early, fueled by Mike James’ rapid-fire scoring spree that built a 13-4 lead within four minutes. Yet, Fenerbahçe, revitalized by the entry of Melli, Baldwin, and Tarık Biberovic, battled back to narrow the gap to 20-18 by the end of the first quarter.
Early in the second, Baldwin’s timely three-pointer nudged Fenerbahçe into a 21-20 lead.
But Monaco, sparked by Diallo’s basket barrage, surged ahead with a 7-0 run, pushing the score to 27-21 by the 14th minute, forcing a Fenerbahçe timeout.
Diallo’s deep three soon extended Monaco’s advantage to nine points at 32-23.
Refusing to yield, Fenerbahçe unleashed their own 7-0 streak capped by Birch’s basket, slicing the deficit to two with under a minute remaining.
By halftime, Hall’s clutch baskets had Fenerbahçe leading 35-33, having seized full momentum with a dominant 12-1 run in the final four minutes.
Monaco fought back in the third quarter, capitalizing on offensive rebounds and trips to the free-throw line.
Mike James reclaimed the lead for Monaco at 43-42 in the 26th minute, but Baldwin responded with consecutive baskets, pushing Fenerbahçe ahead 48-43 just minutes later. The quarter closed with Fenerbahçe holding a slim 54-51 advantage.
The final frame became a defensive masterclass.
Fenerbahçe’s relentless pressure forced Monaco into mistakes as the Turkish powerhouse unleashed an 8-0 blitz to push the margin into double digits at 62-51 by the 33rd minute.
Monaco’s Mike James and Strazel rallied their team to close within five points at 69-64 with two minutes left, but Fenerbahçe’s composure in the clutch secured a controlled finish and the title.
Following the victory, Türkiye’s Youth and Sports Minister Osman Aşkın Bak extended warm congratulations, hailing the achievement as Türkiye’s biggest club-level triumph. “I thank the players, coaching staff, statisticians, and support team for their dedication in winning the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague trophy for the second time for Fenerbahçe and the fourth time for our nation,” Bak said.
