Efes gets a beating and championship
Güncelleme Tarihi:
Hürriyet Daily News
Oluşturulma Tarihi: Haziran 19, 2009 10:04
ISTANBUL - Istanbul club Efes Pilsen won the Beko Basketball League with a 79-76 win over Fenerbahçe Ülker Wednesday night, but the players received their trophy to the sound of an empty stadium.
After the final whistle, Fenerbahçe fans threw bottles, change, lighters and even chairs at celebrating Efes Pilsen players and staff. Some fans even ran onto the court and attacked players on the Efes bench.
Efes Pilsen power forward Kaya Peker had a fist fight with a group of Fenerbahçe supporters, while forward Charles Smith and head coach Ergin Ataman also copped their share of the attack. Ataman and players were taken to the dressing room by security officials, but not before the Turkish coach received a kick in his back.
Fenerbahçe board member Ali Koç intervened to calm the supporters as some attackers were taken into custody by the police and all fans were taken outside.
It was only after the arena was emptied that Efes Pilsen received the championship trophy. Ataman told reporters that Efes Pilsen was on the court "just to play basketball." "I think the incident is a scandal," he said. "I am happy that no player or staff member is injured. Millions watched it, and I see that millions are condemning it."
Efes Pilsen came back from 2-0 in the best-of-seven series, an achievement Ataman is proud of. "The team’s morale was down when we were trailing 2-0," the coach said. "But we bounced back, and restarted winning. I have never worked with a team with such a passion for the game." Ataman argued that Efes Pilsen had recaptured the spirit that it had in the late 1990s, when the club dominated the league and clinched the Korac Cup in 1995. The aim is to clinch another title on the European stage, the successful coach added.
Efes Pilsen General Manager Engin Özerhun said the victory over Fenerbahçe was "epic."
Efes Pilsen power forward Kaya Peker had a fist fight with a group of Fenerbahçe supporters, while forward Charles Smith and head coach Ergin Ataman also copped their share of the attack. Ataman and players were taken to the dressing room by security officials, but not before the Turkish coach received a kick in his back.
Fenerbahçe board member Ali Koç intervened to calm the supporters as some attackers were taken into custody by the police and all fans were taken outside.
It was only after the arena was emptied that Efes Pilsen received the championship trophy. Ataman told reporters that Efes Pilsen was on the court "just to play basketball." "I think the incident is a scandal," he said. "I am happy that no player or staff member is injured. Millions watched it, and I see that millions are condemning it."
Efes Pilsen came back from 2-0 in the best-of-seven series, an achievement Ataman is proud of. "The team’s morale was down when we were trailing 2-0," the coach said. "But we bounced back, and restarted winning. I have never worked with a team with such a passion for the game." Ataman argued that Efes Pilsen had recaptured the spirit that it had in the late 1990s, when the club dominated the league and clinched the Korac Cup in 1995. The aim is to clinch another title on the European stage, the successful coach added.
Efes Pilsen General Manager Engin Özerhun said the victory over Fenerbahçe was "epic."