Kinsey was big for Fenerbahce
Congratulations go out today to Fenerbahçe Ülker, who tore apart Efes Pilsen at home, 76-51, to take the Turkish Basketball League title in six games.
Four players – Mirsad Turkcan, Roko Ukic, Semih Erden and Tarance Kinsey – scored in double figures for Fenerbahçe, while Efes Pilsen was held to a lowly sub-33% on 16-of-49 shooting from the floor. Kinsey contributed eight rebounds as well.
Charles Smith was about the only hot hand for Efes Pilsen, turning in a double-double of 15 points on 5-of-8 shooting and 10 rebounds.
The series marked the fourth time Fenerbahçe and Efes Pilsen met for the TBL championship and the third in four years; however, today we’re mostly left wondering if in fact this would be the very last meeting between Turkey’s own Lakers and Celtics.
A bill currently before Turkish legislators would make sweeping changes to alcohol and advertising regulations, including the illegalization of Efes Pilsen’s basketball sponsorship. In response, Efes Pilsen owner Tuncay Özilhan stated that, should the bill come to pass, he’d simply fold the team rather than rebrand it or seek a merger, possibly with Beşiktaş Cola Turka.
No news on the bill’s passage has been advanced as of yet. We’ll have to wait and see if legalities can stop the Turkish power that only efforts like Fenerbahçe’s last night had heretofore been able to.
And now, last night’s view from the stands:
