USA/TUR – Iverson not The Answer on opening night for Besiktas

ISTANBUL (Eurocup) - All was going according to plan for Allen Iverson on his Besiktas debut in the Eurocup on Tuesday night before the Turkish club imploded late against Hemofarm and suffered a 94-91 home defeat in Group B.

In front of an estimated 3,000 fans, considerably less than what he is accustomed to playing in front of for more than a decade, dating back to his days at Georgetown and then in the NBA, Iverson and Besiktas led by 17 points in the fourth quarter.

Even with Hemofarm sneaking back into the game with some hot shooting from long range, Iverson appeared to stem the tide when he hit a three-pointer with 1:46 to go and drew a foul.

The 35-year-old made the free-throw for a four-point play and a 91-84 Besiktas lead.

Hemofarm refused to go down.

Milos Borisov went to the other end and immediately drained a three to cut the deficit to four, and after Iverson slipped in the right corner as he made a move on the baseline and turned the ball over in the process, Serbia international Milan Macvan knocked down another three to cut the Besiktas lead to 91-90.

After a Besiktas miss from three-point range, the shortest man on the floor, 1.78m point guard Miljan Pavkovic, drilled another Hemofarm three-ball from the top of the key with 50 seconds to go to give the Vrsac club a 93-91 advantage.

Following a bad miss by Mire Chatman, Pavkovic made the first of two free-throws but missed the second and Hemofarm got the rebound, only to turn the ball over.

Iverson brought the ball up the floor and launched a potential game-tying three from the right but hit the front of the rim for his only miss from behind the arc in four attempts on the night.

Besiktas still had a chance, however, as they collected the offensive rebound.

The ball ended up in the hands of Serhat Cetin but he was off target with a three-pointer at the buzzer.

Iverson played almost 24 minutes and had 15 points while Australia's Andrew Ogilvy poured in a game-high 20 in defeat.

Hemofarm finished 10 of 26 from long range, with Macvan's 17 points leading five players in double figures.

In the other Group B game, Asvel Basket lost at home to last year's EuroChallenge winners BG Gottingen of Germany.

In Group A, Banvit BK won in Turkey against visiting Le Mans, 78-70.

EWE Baskets Oldenburg suffered an 89-72 home defeat to UNICS - a team led by former CSKA Moscow coach Evgeny Pashutin.

In Group C, BC Siauliai crashed to a 97-76 defeat in Lithuania to Buducnost and Gran Canaria also fell in Spain to Budivelnik of Ukraine, 62-58.

Aris won in Greece over Azovmash, 88-75 while in the other Group D game, and Hapoel Gilboa prevailed 92-83 at Cedevita Zagreb.

Bennet Cantu romped to a 72-57 triumph over Panellinios and also in Group E, Galatasaray scraped a 66-65 triumph at Gasterra Flames.

In Group F, ACB strugglers Asefa Estudiantes claimed an 88-77 win over PAOK and Benetton Treviso won at home over Chorale Roanne, 67-61.

The two Group G games saw Hapoel Jerusalem romp to a 91-78 win against VEF Riga and Cajasol Sevilla claimed a 93-77 victory at CEZ Nymburk.

Pepsi Caserta prevailed 85-78 at Krasnye Krylia in Russia in Group H and Alba Berlin won 86-74 at Anwil Wloclawek in Poland.

FIBA