Fenerbahce beat Panathinaikos, take commanding 2-0 lead

By Satuk Bugra Kutlugun

ANKARA (AA) - Fenerbahce toppled Panathinaikos 80-75 on Thursday evening in a Turkish Airlines EuroLeague playoff match, took a commanding 2-0 lead in the best-of-five series.

Fenerbahce's guard Bogdan Bogdanovic was on top form again; he scored 25 points, grabbed 8 rebounds and dished out 6 assists in crucial victory at Nikos Galis Olympic Indoor Hall.

Istanbul club also defeated Panathinaikos on Tuesday and became the first Turkish club to beat Panathinaikos in the last 11 years.

Center Ekpe Udoh was also essential in the win; he scored 22 points and grabbed 8 rebounds. Bobby Dixon also chipped in 14 points.

Two teams will square off again Tuesday, this time in Istanbul as the series shifted to Turkey for games 3 and 4, if necessary.

In the other match of the evening, CSKA Moscow defeated Spain's Baskonia Vitoria Gasteiz 84-82, and took a 2-0 lead in the series.

On Friday, two more Turkish clubs will take floor as Anadolu Efes will try to beat Olympiakos in Piraeus, while Darussafaka Dogus will go to Spain to take on Real Madrid.

Both Turkish clubs are 1-0 down in their series.