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Fenerbahçe extended its ideal start to the EuroLeague without needing a constant fireworks display. In Istanbul, the Turkish club beat Dubai Basketball 76-66 on Friday night, in a game it controlled for long stretches without ever truly being able to relax. Three games, three wins: the record is spotless. The performance, meanwhile, mainly tells the story of a team capable of winning with defense, rebounding and a highly efficient Marcus Bingham.
A start that sets the tone
The initial 26-14 lead provided a comfortable cushion, but above all, a clear direction: impose its tempo when the opportunity arose, then force Dubai to play under pressure.
Fenerbahçe built its evening from the first quarter. The initial 26-14 lead provided a comfortable cushion, but above all, a clear direction: impose its tempo when the opportunity arose, then force Dubai to play under pressure. The gap did not grow after that, proof that the visitors found a few answers, but the Turkish champion kept control of the important moments.
At halftime, the lead was down to three points, 42-39. The third quarter confirmed that tension, with a 55-51 scoreline that still left plenty of room for a turnaround. Fenerbahçe nevertheless did not waver in the final period. Possessions became more decisive, shots were better selected, and Dubai failed to turn its comeback into a genuine swing in the game.
The final score, 76-66, does not tell the whole story of the battle. It does show one simple thing, however: Fenerbahçe won the sequences that mattered, particularly after seeing its cushion melt away before halftime. In a EuroLeague where leads can disappear in three possessions, that kind of composure is already valuable.
Bingham, maximum efficiency
Marcus Bingham was Fenerbahçe’s sharpest player of the night. His 20 points, 8 rebounds and 25 evaluation rating sum up a complete performance, but the most telling detail remains his efficiency: he scored without monopolizing the ball. When a team can get that much production from a reasonable workload, it breathes more easily in the closing stages of games.
Wade Baldwin added 14 points, Braxton Key 12, Shavon Shields 9 and Talen Horton-Tucker 8. This distribution is far from insignificant. Fenerbahçe did not rely on a single creator to keep Dubai at arm’s length. Sarunas Jasikevicius already has several reliable options, making the opposition’s defensive choices more difficult.
Dubai responded with Elie Okobo, their leading scorer with 18 points, while Dwayne Bacon and McKinley Wright each scored 12 points. Mamadi Diakite added 10 points. That was enough to stay in the game, but not to steal it. The visitors paid for their lapses and less polished execution in the final quarter.
Dubai discovers its first blemish
This defeat is Dubai’s first of the European campaign. It came against an opponent that knows the demands of the competition perfectly, in an arena where every lapse is punished immediately. For a team still establishing its place at the highest continental level, the test remains useful, even if it leaves a mark in the standings.
The duel also had a taste of revenge. Last season, Dubai had frustrated Fenerbahçe in their EuroLeague meetings. This time, Istanbul restored order to the recent history, without turning the game into a nervous or needlessly spectacular affair. For Jasikevicius, the most important takeaway is probably this ability to shut the door when the opponent gets back within reach.
For Fenerbahçe, the 3-0 record lays a solid foundation, but offers no guarantee. The EuroLeague wears down certainties very quickly. The coming weeks will show whether this defense and depth hold up away from Istanbul, amid travel, rotations and the nights when shooting goes cold. On Friday, at any rate, the message was clear: Dubai resisted, Fenerbahçe chose the moments when it needed to tighten up, and that is often where the competition is decided.