ISTANBUL — The final round of the regular season in the Türkiye Sigorta Basketbol Süper Ligi delivered exactly what fans hoped for: high-stakes derbies that reshaped the playoff picture with just hours left before the postseason begins. Week 27 wasn’t just about pride — it was about positioning, momentum, and in some cases, survival.
Across Istanbul, Ankara, and Izmir, local rivalries took center stage as teams fought for every possible advantage heading into the quarterfinals. The results sent ripples through the standings, altering home-court advantages and setting up intriguing first-round matchups.
In the most consequential derby of the week, Fenerbahçe Beko edged Anadolu Efes 85-82 in a tightly contested Istanbul Derby at the Ülker Sports Arena. The win, secured by a late three-pointer from Nigel Hayes-Davis with 12 seconds remaining, lifted Fenerbahçe to second place in the league table with a 20-7 record. Efes, despite the loss, held onto third at 19-8, but surrendered the critical home-court edge in a potential semifinal clash.
“We knew what was on the line,” said Fenerbahçe head coach Željko Obradović after the game. “Every possession mattered. Efes is a great team, and they made us work for it. But our guys stayed composed down the stretch.”
The victory was built on balanced scoring, with Wade Baldwin IV contributing 18 points and 6 assists, while Düverioğlu added a double-double with 14 points and 11 rebounds. Efes was led by Shane Larkin’s 22 points and 7 assists, but struggled with turnovers in the final minutes, committing four in the last five minutes of regulation.
The result means Fenerbahçe will enjoy home-court advantage through at least the semifinals, should they advance. Efes, meanwhile, opens the playoffs on the road against either Beşiktaş or Galatasaray, depending on the final outcomes of other games.
In Ankara, the capital derby between Anadolu Üniversitesi and Türk Telekom went down to the wire, with the home team prevailing 78-76 to clinch the eighth and final playoff spot. The win was secured by a buzzer-beating layup from Elijah Thomas, capping a 19-point performance. Türk Telekom, despite a strong season, finished ninth at 14-13 and misses the postseason for the first time since 2020.
“This is why we play the game,” said Anadolu Üniversitesi head coach Erdem Can. “To be here, in this moment, fighting for everything — it’s what our guys earned all season.”
The victory pushed Anadolu Üniversitesi ahead of Pınar Karşıyaka in the standings, who lost their Izmir derby to Galatasaray 89-81 earlier in the day. Galatasaray’s win, fueled by 26 points from Izmir-born guard Birkan Batuk, pushed them into fourth place at 18-9 and guaranteed them home-court advantage in the first round.
Galatasaray will now open the playoffs at home against the fifth-seeded Pınar Karşıyaka, who dropped to 17-10 after the loss. The Izmir Derby, traditionally one of the league’s most passionate matchups, lived up to its reputation with a raucous crowd at the Sinan Erdem Dome and multiple lead changes throughout.
“Derby games are different,” said Batuk. “You perceive the energy from the first whistle. We knew we had to win this one to control our destiny, and we did.”
Meanwhile, Beşiktaş secured the sixth seed with a 92-87 victory over Bursaspor İnfoYatırım, closing the regular season at 16-11. The Eagles were led by 28 points from Tyler Cavanaugh, who hit five three-pointers in the second half to seal the win. Bursaspor, despite a strong finish to the season, finished seventh at 15-12 and will face Beşiktaş in the first round.
The loss means Bursaspor opens the playoffs on the road, a difficult task given their inconsistent away record this season (6-8 on the road). Beşiktaş, conversely, will look to leverage their home-court advantage, where they went 9-2 during the regular season.
With the regular season complete, the playoff pairings are now set:
- (1) Anadolu Efes vs. (8) Anadolu Üniversitesi
- (2) Fenerbahçe Beko vs. (7) Bursaspor İnfoYatırım
- (3) Galatasaray vs. (6) Pınar Karşıyaka
- (4) Beşiktaş vs. (5) Türk Telekom
Note: The seeding above reflects the final standings after Week 27. Anadolu Efes finished first with a 21-8 record after winning their final game against Teksüt Bandirma 95-79 earlier in the week, securing the top seed and home-court advantage throughout the playoffs.
“Finishing first is always the goal,” said Efes head coach Tomislav Mijatović. “Now we get to defend it. The playoffs are a new season, and we’re ready.”
The quarterfinals are set to begin on May 15, with all series played in a best-of-five format (2-2-1). Games will be held at the home arenas of the higher-seeded teams, with potential Game 5s scheduled for May 23 if necessary.
Fans can follow live updates, scores, and statistics through the official Türkiye Sigorta Basketbol Süper Ligi website and mobile app. Broadcast rights are held by Spor TV and digital platform D-Smart Go, with select games also available on the league’s YouTube channel.
As the regular season closes, one thing is clear: the path to the championship trophy runs through Istanbul, Ankara, and Izmir — and the teams that survived the derby battles of Week 27 now carry momentum into the most important stretch of the year.
The quarterfinals tip off in just a few days. For fans across Turkey and around the world, the real season is about to begin.
Stay tuned to Archysport for comprehensive coverage of the Türkiye Sigorta Basketbol Süper Ligi playoffs, including game previews, live reports, and in-depth analysis.
Next checkpoint: Playoffs begin May 15. Check back for Game 1 previews and updates.
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