Terrible news for Besiktas: Jonah Mathews suffers ruptured Achilles
Injury update and immediate impact
Jonah Mathews had to leave the finals clash with Fenerbahce with 3:53 left in the second quarter and was later diagnosed with a ruptured Achilles in his left foot. The 28-year-old guard will undergo surgery and is expected to miss a large portion of the next season. He finished that outing with 8 points in 12 minutes.
Coach Dusan Alimpijevic praised his players for their fight and resilience but also voiced frustration about the scheduling. He suggested the quick turnaround after a long break has contributed to the team’s injury problems.
What this means for Besiktas in the finals
Mathews’ loss is a major blow for Besiktas, who were already coping with players not at full strength — including Ismael Kamagate, Ante Zizic and Brynton Lemar. The team will need to reshuffle rotations and ask others to step up on both ends of the floor.
The series now shifts to Besiktas’ home arena, where the hosts still have a shot at the title if they can win the next two games. The home crowd will help, but the club faces a tough task replacing one of its key scorers and playmakers in such a crucial stretch.
