Dusan Alimpijevic: My players are heroes — this was a miracle

Alimpijevic praises his team after shock win in Istanbul

Besiktas head coach Dusan Alimpijevic was full of praise for his squad after they pulled off an upset in Game 1 of the Turkish Super League finals on the road against Fenerbahce. Coming out of a tough semifinal stretch, his team produced a complete performance across all 40 minutes to grab a 1–0 series lead.

Alimpijevic highlighted how remarkable the result was given the circumstances: the team was missing three important players and had endured a brutal schedule — eight games in 16 days. He thanked everyone involved, from the players to the medical and physiotherapy staff, saying the group deserved huge credit for what they achieved.

At the same time he was pragmatic, reminding everyone that it’s only one game. He urged focus ahead of the next meeting, noting that Fenerbahce will surely respond and that Besiktas must be sharper in the rematch, which is set to take place on Monday at Fenerbahce’s arena.

Other headlines from the European scene

Over in Greece, Olympiacos secured the national league crown after defeating Panathinaikos in the title series. The game saw tempers flare, with Kendrick Nunn and Tyrique Jones both ejected following an on-court and postgame incident that later circulated online.

Additional stories around Europe include features on coaches and players shaping the continent’s basketball identity and a look at emerging talent pushing for EuroLeague opportunities — a list of youngsters currently knocking on the door of Europe’s top competition.