23 October 2009 / TODAY’S ZAMAN, İSTANBUL
Fenerbahçe Ülker, the runner-up in the men’s Turkish Basketball League (TBL) last season, began its 2009-10 Euroleague campaign with a whimper as it was beaten 82-59 by Regal FC Barcelona in their Group A opener at İstanbul’s Abdi İpekçi Sports Arena on Wednesday night.
Fener Ülker must put this defeat behind it and start preparing for its second group match against Asvel Basket in Lyon, France, next Wednesday.Willie Solomon had 16 points for Fenerbahçe on Wednesday night, Oğuz Savaş added 11 and Lynn Greer got 10. Pete Mickeal paced the Spanish side with a Euroleague career-high 26 points. Barcelona hosts Group A cellar-dweller Cibona -- which lost 40-85 at home to Italy’s Montepaschi Siena on Wednesday night -- at Palau Blaugrana next Thursday. Other Euroleague results on Wednesday: Zalgiris 71, Asvel Basket 52; Olympiakos 94, E. Orleanaise 72; Maroussia BC 65, CSKA Moscow 66; and Asseco Prokom 81, EWE Baskets 87.
