Korfez Basket saw off Chalons/Son 74:65 in the FIBA Europe Cup on Wednesday evening, keeping their campaign on track despite a side that can raise the tempo when they need to. The Turkish hosts took control early and saw the game out, though the visitors made it competitive in patches. By then the margin had settled into something manageable for the home side.
Korfez shot 25 from 68 field goals while Chalons/Son matched them at 25 from 65 attempts. The difference came from distance — seven successful three-pointers for the hosts against four for the visitors. And here's the thing, it wasn't just about shooting accuracy but the tempo they set from the opening tip.
The rebounding battle told its own story. Korfez secured 42 boards to their opponents' 40, with 13 offensive rebounds proving crucial in extending possessions. To be fair, Chalons/Son kept pace defensively with 29 defensive rebounds each, but the extra opportunities on the offensive end made the difference.
Where the statistics really separate the teams was in ball security. Korfez committed 15 turnovers compared to 20 from the visitors, and that gap translated into clean transition opportunities. The hosts also edged the assist count 18 to 17, showing slightly better ball movement in half-court sets.
Recent form suggests this was a step in the right direction for Korfez, who had lost three of their previous four European matches including narrow defeats to Petkim Spor and Fenerbahce. Chalons/Son came into the game with momentum from a 108:67 victory over Nancy SLUC, but that dominance didn't carry over into this fixture.
The result keeps Korfez in contention for whatever position lies ahead in the standings, while for Chalons/Son it serves as a reminder that European basketball demands consistency across every venue they visit.
