Fenerbahce beat Monaco to win second EuroLeague title

BBC News

26-05-2025

Fenerbahce secured their second EuroLeague crown with an 81-70 victory over Monaco in the final at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi.The Turkish side, who last won the title in the 2016-17 season, overcame an early deficit to outplay Monaco across the remaining quarters, sealing a historic win on European basketball's biggest stage.American forward Nigel Hayes-Davis led the way for Fenerbahce with a standout performance, scoring 23 points and earning the Final Four MVP honours.Monaco, ending a 32-year wait for a French team to reach the final, started strongly and led 20-18 after the first quarter. But Fenerbahce gradually pulled away, dominating the rest of the game despite a 19-point effort from Monaco's American forward Alpha Diallo.Fenerbahce head coach Sarunas Jasikevicius made history by becoming the first person in the modern EuroLeague era to win the trophy both as a player and a coach. The Lithuanian previously lifted the title as a player with Barcelona (2003), Maccabi Tel Aviv (2004, 2005), and Panathinaikos (2009).As a coach, he had reached the final with Barcelona in 2021 but lost to Anadolu Efes. Last year, he guided Fenerbahce to the Final Four, where they fell short against Panathinaikos in the semi-finals.Speaking after the game, Jasikevicius said: "A lifelong dream has come true. To do this with Fenerbahce and to be part of this moment is a joy. We are proud to bring the trophy back to Istanbul."In a symbolic moment following the final whistle, team captain Melih Mahmutoglu handed the trophy to Serbian guard Marko Guduric, who lifted it high to celebrate the team's triumph.Fenerbahce fans celebrated their team's triumph across Turkey, with major gatherings taking place in Istanbul and other cities.
Fenerbahce showed their defensive prowess by holding Monaco to just 38.1% shooting on two-pointers (16 of 42), forcing 14 turnovers, and limiting them to a team PIR (Performance Index Rating) of just 61, a testament to their lockdown performance.Fenerbahce's defence shone brightest in crucial moments, particularly late in the second quarter when Monaco managed only one field goal in the final four minutes, a stretch that allowed the Turkish team to take control of the game for good.
American guard Wade Baldwin, in his sixth EuroLeague season with his fifth club, finally reached the Final Four and played a vital role in securing the title.Baldwin was emotional after the game, saying: "We're all legends in the EuroLeague books. We're 2025 champions, this Fenerbahce team. It's our second star. All of us gave tremendous effort. It's just a great feeling to be in the history books for this league."
In the third-place game earlier on Sunday, Olympiacos Piraeus edged out Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens 97-93 in a high-scoring Greek derby.Alec Peters starred with 32 points, a new club Final Four record, and tied for the most in a Final Four game in the modern era.Panathinaikos were led by Omer Yurtseven with 23 points, while Cedi Osman and Mathias Lessort added 14 and 12 respectively. Lorenzo Brown dished out 12 assists in the losing effort.