Top 16 for Zalgiris starts with a defeat in Istanbul 0

Galatasaray Liv Hospital took charge in the second half to defeat Zalgiris Kaunas 78-69 in the Top 16 opener on Tuesday at Abdi Ipekci Arena in Istanbul. The game was played before empty stands due to sanctions.

The Lithuanian champs led 39-47 midway through the third quarter, but a pair of baskets-plus-fouls by Zoran Erceg and some great plays by Sinan Guler turned things around. The hosts entered the fourth quarter up 57-55 and never let Zalgiris back in it.

Erceg and Guler each scored 14 points to lead Galatasaray, while Carlos Arroyo added 12 points and 5 assists, Kerem Gonlum scored 10 and Justin Carter produced 7 points, 7 rebounds and a handful of highlights in his Turkish Airlines Euroleague debut.

James Anderson paced Zalgiris with 15 points, Robertas Javtokas scored 12 and Arturas Gudaitis 11.

First quarter: Milaknis’ shooting helps Zalgiris to slim advantage

The hosts opened the scoring through Erceg’s perfect pass to a cutting Vladimir Micov. Javtokas answered with a hook to get Zalgiris on the board. Vaidas Kariniauskas passed from the low post to Arturas Milaknis for a three and a 2-5 Zalgiris lead. After Patric Young free throws, Paulius Jankunas scored with one hand. The hosts went in front after an Arroyo triple and 3 free throws by Erceg, who was fouled shooting from downtown. Another Javtokas hook and Anderson’s pull-up three gave the visitors a 10-12 lead midway through the quarter. Arroyo drove and dished to Young for a reverse layup to tie the game. Milaknis added a baseline jumper before the game’s first timeout. Kariniauskas boosted the Zalgiris lead to 4, but Arroyo and Erceg hit back with triples to put the hosts ahead 18-16. However Milaknis and Jankunas sandwiched threes around an Arroyo jumper to make it 20-22 after 10 minutes.

Second quarter: Gudaitis comes off bench for 9 points to boost visitors

Edgaras Ulanovas beat the 24-scond clock with a runner. Marty Pocius split free throws and Aleks Maric scored his first Galatasaray points on the offensive glass. Jankunas fed Gudaitis for a dunk. Will Cherry drove and dumped to Gudaitis for another slam. Ender Arslan countered with a jumper. Micov was fouled on the break and made it a 1-point game from the line. A Gudaitis triple kept Zalgiris ahead and Tomas Dimsa drove for a layup and a 27-33 advantage. Gudaitis’s 9th point of the quarter capped a 0-7 run. Gonlum looked to revive the hosts with a basket-plus-foul. After a short Gonlum jumper, Galatasaray’s full-court press resulted in a Carter steal and a pair of Arslan free throws. Micov’s foul shots tied the game at 35-35 after an 8-0 run for the hosts. Back-to-back Anderson jumpers and a Javtokas layup put the visitors up 35-41 at halftime.

Third quarter: Great defense, active Guler pushes Galatasaray to slim lead

A slow start to the second half saw neither team score for nearly two minutes until Anderson’s steal and slam. After an Arroyo jumper, Anderson split free throws. Gonlum’s tip-in brought Galatasaray within 5. Ulanovas hit from downtown, but Erceg’s three-point play kept it close and Gonlum made it 44-47 from the line. Darius Songaila scored for Zalgiris only to see a Guler layup and Erceg’s steal and three-point play tie it at 49-49. Javtokas scored in the paint to push the Lithuanian champs ahead again. Guler free throws were matched by Javtokas inside. Erceg’s perfect pass to Guler for a layup tied it and the Galatasaray swingman’s steal and layup gave the hosts a 57-55 lead.

Fourth quarter: Carter finishes strong debut for hosts

Cherry committed an unsportsmanlike foul on Carter from behind after a Galatasaray steal. His free throws made it a 4-point difference. Anderson found Gudaitis at the rim, but Guler countered. Arroyo free throws put the hosts up 63-57. Ulanovas used a mismatch to get an open jumper, but Carter’s put-back basket kept the hosts in front with five minutes to play. A perfect pass from Arroyo led Carter to a two-handed jam plus foul and a 9-point lead. Anderson kept Zalgiris in the hunt with a basket at one end and a block at the other, but Carter fed Young for an alley-oop slam and a 70-61 lead with three minutes to play. Kariniauskas scored 3 points on two possessions, but a Guler layup with 46 seconds remaining essentially sealed the final outcome.