Fenerbahce defeats Asvel 81-76 as emotional farewell marks end of difficult EuroLeague season
Fenerbahce defeats Asvel in EuroLeague finale Photo Credit: EuroLeague
Fenerbahce defeated Asvel 81-76 in Round 38 of the EuroLeague regular season, but the victory was overshadowed by questions surrounding both teams’ futures. While Fenerbahce finished with a 24-14 record and await other results to determine their playoff seeding, Asvel concluded another difficult campaign that raises serious doubts about their EuroLeague participation next season.
The evening began with an emotional tribute to Nando De Colo, who received a warm welcome from Asvel fans despite not playing due to injury. The veteran guard, who recently announced his retirement, was honored with ovations and a special gift in what marked a poignant moment before tip-off.
Karşılaşma öncesinde 2022-26 yılları arasında LDLC Asvel forması giyen oyuncumuz Nando De Colo için özel bir seremoni yapıldı. 👏@NandoDeColo #YellowLegacy #EuroLeague pic.twitter.com/Ze18Syw4H3
— Fenerbahçe Beko (@FBBasketbol) April 16, 2026
Fenerbahce dominance in third quarter proves decisive
Asvel showed early resistance and managed to stay competitive through the first half, trailing 48-42 at the break. However, their hopes were dealt a blow when Armel Traore suffered an injury, seemingly affecting the team’s momentum.
The third quarter belonged entirely to Fenerbahce, who went on a devastating 18-0 run to transform a manageable deficit into a commanding 70-50 lead heading into the final period. « I don’t know what happened, » admitted Pierric Poupet in his post-game interview with EuroLeague TV. « We had no energy left, they were switching everything on defense and we couldn’t make a shot. And when you can’t get stops on the other end, it’s difficult to play. »
Despite building a 26-point advantage, Fenerbahce relaxed in the fourth quarter, allowing Asvel to mount a dramatic comeback led by Shaquille Harrison. The American guard, who has been exemplary since arriving in 2024, delivered another outstanding performance with 25 points on 12/16 shooting, 5 rebounds, and 4 interceptions. His efforts helped cut the deficit to just four points with 23 seconds remaining, but Asvel couldn’t complete the comeback.
Season ends with uncertainty for both clubs
Talen Horton-Tucker led Fenerbahce with 21 points, while Tarik Biberovic added 17 points in the victory. However, head coach Sarunas Jasikevicius will have plenty to criticize after his team’s fourth-quarter collapse nearly cost them the game.
For Asvel, this marks the end of another challenging EuroLeague season, finishing last in the standings with an 8-30 record – their second worst finish in the past four years. The French club sits four to five games behind the second-to-last team, depending on Anadolu Efes Istanbul‘s result against Panathinaikos.
« We came back with a much more positive attitude, » Poupet reflected. « We showed we could compete and we lost to a better team. We have to accept that. » As uncertainty looms over Asvel’s EuroLeague future, the focus now shifts to drawing useful lessons for the Betclic ELITE playoffs.
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