Eurocup Final: Strasbourg wins Game 1

The Eurocup Final series has tipped off on Friday as Strasbourg and Galatasaray Istanbul engage in two tie contest to find the 2016 champion. French club Strasbourg used home court advantage in Game 1 to carve a narrow 66-61 victory and take a slender five points advantage into the deciding game in Istanbul in five days’ time.

Whether that is enough for the club to protect and lift the Eurocup trophy remains to be seen, and certainly in the cauldron of Istanbul Galatasaray will be a huge threat. The Turkish club is always capable of turning it on at home, so expect a thrill and spills game next week.

Strasbourg vs. Galatasaray, 66-61
If any proof was needed that this is a final with everything on the line, the teams were nervous from the tip off and neither could trouble the bucket with regularity. In a very low scoring frame, Strasbourg managed just 7 points and Galatasaray took a one point lead with 8 points. In the second quarter the scoring picked up, but still the teams could not be separated and traded buckets for ten minutes. A 16-16 period ended with the visitors leading 23-24 through the long break.

After the halftime rest, the team continued to lock horns and go end to end in pursuit of points. The scoring continued to gather pace, but Galatasaray managed to stay a step ahead at the close of the frame, and through thirty minutes the Turkish team led 43-45. Strasbourg finally turned it around at both ends of the hardwood in the fourth act, pouring in 23 points and stopping Galatasaray at 17 points. The hosts had won a very hard fought encounter.

Louis Campbell led the win with a solid game, collecting 16 points, 8 rebounds, and 7 assists, while Jeremey Leloup and Matt Howard scored 11 points each.

Vladimir Micov set the tone for Galatasaray with a game high 17 points, followed by Blake Schlib with 13 points and 8 rebounds.