Bahcesehir take slim lead as Reggio Emilia fightback keeps Final close

BOLOGNA (Italy) - Bahcesehir College have the advantage in the FIBA Europe Cup Final after fending off a remarkable fightback from Unahotels Reggio Emilia to take a 72-69 first leg victory on the road.

The Turkish side were in complete command early in the fourth, but their lead was cut to just three points to take back home for next week's reverse fixture.

Turning point: The lead never reached double figures for either side in the first half with multiple lead changes as the teams jostled for control. The game was tied at 43-43 early in the third, but Bahcesehir took over with a pivotal 11-0 run and looked to be moving out of sight with a 19-point advantage. However, the hosts rallied with an impressive 22-9 fourth quarter effort to keep their title hopes alive.

Game hero(es): Take your pick. There were valuable contributions on both teams with a balanced effort from Bahcesehir seemingly putting them on top with three players in double figures off the bench. Andrea Cinciarini led the hosts with a game-high 20 points along with 9 assists and kept the peace when tempers frayed at the buzzer in the heat of the battle.

Stats don't lie: 44 bench points for Bahcesehir helped tell the story as their strength in depth helped them get the better of Reggio Emilia through three quarters, but seven of their 10 turnovers came in the final quarter as they were unable to make the most of their 70 percent shooting from inside the arc.

Bottom line: Onto Istanbul for next week's decisive second leg. Bahcesehir have not lost at home in the competition this season and will remain favorites to claim silverware, but Reggio Emilia have given themselves a chance and probably end up the happier of the two sides to still be in the contest. They have come together in the face of adversity throughout their campaign and their effort in the final 10 minutes was another glowing example.

They said:

FIBA