Red Star ends Fenerbahce's great streak

European champions Fenerbahçe's great streak of 19 wins in all competitions, nine in the Euroleague, has finally come to an end.

Šanuras Jasikevičius' team was defeated tonight at the Belgrade Arena by Red Star (79:73) in the 31st round of the Old Continent's elite basketball competition.

A great, dramatic, physically intense match was played by two teams, so even though there wasn't a lot of flashy basketball and not many points (it was last year when Fener last scored less than 73), neutral fans were able to enjoy themselves.

In the end, the home team did too, as Red Star came back from a nine-point deficit at halftime, and then from -4 four minutes before the end, to achieve a very important triumph for the playoffs.

The decisive moment of the match occurred four minutes before the end, when at 67:63 for the guests, Colson committed a foul, and Jasekevičius received a technical foul, believing that it must have been an offensive foul.

An 11:0 run by Red Star followed and everything was settled.

The most efficient player for the home team was Cima Moneke with 19 points, Nvora added 14 and Izundu 12, but the decisive player was the brilliant Jared Butler, who scored most of his 12 points when the game was breaking - in the final series of the Belgrade team.

For Fenerbahce, who are still in first place with two wins and a game in hand over Olympiacos and Real Madrid, Baldwin was the most efficient with 16 points. Colson scored 15.

Red Star is sixth, in the playoff zone with 18 wins and 13 losses.

Hapoel Tel Aviv defeated Barcelona in an empty "Blaugrana" - 80:75, thus compiling a second triumph after five consecutive defeats.

The Catalans had no fans due to the war in the Middle East and possible tensions.

Armani had them, who defeated another Israeli team, Maccabi Tel Aviv, 96:87 in Milan.