Fenerbahce’s best shot since 2017?

Fenerbahce return to the Euroleague Final Four with their eyes on the prize. In its second straight appearance at the final weekend of the season, can Sarunas Jasikevicius take the Turkish powerhouse all the way in Abu Dhabi?

Fenerbahce were never sleeping giants but they had, really since 2019, taken a visible step back. The Turkish club, the first from that nation to ever win Euroleague, wasn’t the superpower we all knew. That changed first last season with its historic road win in Game 5 over AS Monaco. The first full season of Sarunas Jasikevicius has supercharged that resurgence. They arrive in Abu Dhabi for the Euroleague Final Four with justifiably high hopes.

It wasn’t long but it felt long

Three. That’s the number of missed opportunities to reach the Euroleague Final Four that Fenerbahce had. Granted, they weren’t favoured to make it in the Covid abandoned season of 2020. Still, since their glory run of making five straight trips from 2015 to 2019, including the 2017 title, it felt like an age had passed.

Unlike last season’s dramatics, Sarunas Jasikevicius and co. took care of business quickly in the playoffs. Their 3-0 sweep of Paris Basketball was the only sweep in the postseason. This was a team that went out to take care of business and it did just that. Mentally, it is in a place where being at the final weekend of the season should be the minimum.

There’s ample motivation for them coming into Abu Dhabi. The semi-final performance against Panathinaikos last year was a let-down. While the Greens were better on the whole, Fener knew they didn’t deliver their best that day. The core of that side remains and is keen to put things right.

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A shift in leadership

The arrival of Sarunas Jasikevicius obviously changes things up considerably. Taking over from Dimitris Itoudis last season, the moves he could make then were limited. They still succeeded. Now, he’s got more to work with.

The additions of Wade Baldwin IV, Errick McCollum, and Nicolo Melli were great in terms of fit. It’s easy to point to the obvious talents of the trio but, crucially, they were the types of signings that could move smoothly into the rotation. That allowed for an element of continuation and faster evolution in the side.

This is a side with great chemistry. More importantly, of the four in Abu Dhabi it’s probably the most capable of winning even when their top guy or guys isn’t performing. This is a side built to adapt and spread responsibility. It can have a takeover night from Nigel Hayes Davis but it doesn’t need one. That’s possibly its most dangerous asset entering the Euroleague Final Four.

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A matter of pride

While it was Fenerbahce that made the breakthrough to be the first Turkish side to win it all in Euroleague, it’s no longer the most decorated team from Istanbul in the competition. The two titles of Anadolu Efes appear like a target for Sarunas Jasikevicius to aim for. Bringing home a second crown from Abu Dhabi and tying their city rivals would be a big boost.

We know the Fenerbahce fans will come in large numbers to the Euroleague Final Four and bring the noise. It’s what this team does to quieten the opposition that will matter more. Slowing down the guard play of Panathinaikos in the semi-final is going to be a vital piece in their game.

Finding the guy in the moment is also going to matter so much. Tarik Biberovic has this wonderful habit of showing up with bright flashing lights so that there’s no doubt when it’s Tarik time. Baldwin, Hayes Davis, Guduric, and more can do the same.

The only criticism that could really be made of this Fenerbahce side is Melih Mahmutoglu’s decision to get rid of the coiff in his hair. That was really cool.

Retain the business-like approach

Fire and passion are great. Being able to channel those into cold calculating execution is better. That’s what we got from Fenerbahce in the playoff series against Paris. In Panathinaikos, they face the side that took them down a year ago at the Euroleague Final Four. That means Abu Dhabi also means Sarunas Jasikevicius will be squaring off against Ergin Ataman again.

The latter is a master of psychology, making the moment revolve around his whims. Jasikevicius simply must rise above temptation here. Of course he will be fiery but he must be fiery on his terms. In simple terms, he has to set the tempo of the mental battle.

There was a feeling in Madrid in 2015 that Fenerbahce were just happy to be there. That wasn’t the case a year later in Berlin. Similarly, in the German capital last year, just getting there was an achievement for Fener. Now, they want more. This is a rejuvenated squad with a coach that is more than used to this weekend, having also made it with Zalgiris Kaunas and FC Barcelona. Now, only a title will do. That’s the way it should be.

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