TBBL 2/2008 - Beşiktaş 87, Samsun 81 (2 OT)

Is that ominous figure in the back Alison Bales?

Beşiktaş (2-0) moved into contention in the Turkey Women's Basketball League (TBBL), coming back in the second half with an 87-81 win over Samsun (1-1) in a very tight double overtime victory.

The boxscore for the game is here.

After a good start by Beşiktaş to take a 41-28 lead into halftime, Samsun began to work their way back. The lead was closed to 54-57 and by the end of regulation, both teams were tied 68-68. Each team scored 10 points in the first overtime, but Samsun ran out of gas in the second overtime.

Beşiktaş had the statistical edge, shooting 42 percent from the field compared to Samsun's 49 percent. Samsun won the battle of the boards in a big way, 49 to 38, with Erlana Larkins and Adela Olanrewaju with 18 and 15 rebounds each. However, Beşiktaş went to the free throw line 30 times, hitting 19 shots, whereas Samsun went 9 for 19 at the stripe, shooting a dismal 47 percent in their free throw shooting.

Shay Doron (a guard for the New York Liberty in 2007) led all Beşiktaş scorers with 25 points, eight rebounds and five assists. Alexis Hornbuckle (24 points, 10 rebounds, 7 assists) and Laura Harper (21 points, 15 rebounds, 2 assists) would add double doubles, becoming a three woman wrecking crew. Hornbuckle played for the Detroit Shock in 2008 as a rookie; Harper was a rookie for the Sacramento Monarchs.

The win was not so much a win as a triumph of human endurance. Alexis Hornbuckle would play all fifty minutes, and Laura Harper would fall twenty seconds short of that goal.

For Samsun, Erlana Larkins would score 22 points and 18 rebounds and Adeola Olanrewaju would add 15 points and 15 rebounds in the battle of the double-dobbles. Julie McBride would score 20 points and she'd play all 50 minutes of the game as well. Alison Bales would score 7 points and 7 rebounds, but would pick up her fifth foul in only 21 minutes of action.

Since there are 11 teams in the Turkish league, bye weeks are awarded. Samsun will not play in regular league play next week, and when they come back on November 9th, they travel to Ceyhan to play against Ivory Latta's team.

Better pictures will show up when/if I can find them.