Beşiktaş Cola Turka Men’s Basketball Team was defeated 83-81 in overtime by the visiting Darüşşafaka at BJK Akatlar Sports and Culture Complex in the 20th week of the Beko Basketball League.
Both teams started the game with solid defensive performances that kept the score close for long time. Only in the 4th minute, each team scored 4 points (4-4). However during the ensuing minutes visiting Darüşşafaka found baskets with Dobbie and green and white team finished the first period 21-13 in the front. The productive offensive play of Daçka continued in the second period and its aggressive defense had little difficulty to containing Beşiktaş Cola Turka's scoring attempts. At the end of the first half visiting side was leading 41-30.With the beginning of the second half Beşiktaş Cola Turka became the advantageous side. Not repeating their defensive errors of the first half, the Black&Whites became more effective offensively. Daçka tried to respond to this scoring surge of Beşiktaş with well timed baskets of Jones and Dobbie. Visiting team had a slim lead of 53-51 going into the final quarter. Some strange and dubious calls by the referees in this period had a strong impact on the outcome of the game. 18 seconds left in the game, during a free throw of Beşiktaş Cola Turka, Darüşşaka wanted to take a time-out. Although the table officials pointed out time out insistently, the head referee Ozan Çakır allowed the game to continue. With 2.4 seconds to end Black&Whites were leading by 3 points and gained free throws by Reese once again. However, the referee this time cancelled the free throws and gave visiting team’s previously requested time out by bringing back the clock. Following this period, a 3- pointer by Polat sent the game into an overtime with the score tied (67-67).
Over-time staged a closely contested and exciting performance by both teams. Baskets by Beşiktaş Cola Turka’s in response to Dobbie’s points, kept the Black&Whites in the game until the end. Two minutes left in overtime, Darüşşafaka opened up a 4 point gap thanks to Dobbie's baskets (79-75) but Harvey's 3-pointer reduced the deficit to a single point. In the final 20 seconds the score was tied (81-81). Unfortunately a last second shot by Dobie kept green and whites in the front for good and enabled the visiting side to win this exciting game with a score of 83-81.
Immediately after the game, Beşiktaş Cola Turka claimed that the referee’s decisions were in fact against the rules and launched a protest to Basketball Federation regarding outcome of the game. The final result of the game will be resolved by decision of Basketball Federation.
