Can Fenerbahce secure a spot in the EuroLeague Final Four? / News - Basketnews.com

Errick McCollum believes in Fenerbahce's EuroLeague Final Four potential, crediting new head coach Sarunas Jasikevicius for unifying the team and instilling a more aggressive playing style.

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URBONUS co-host Errick McCollum is optimistic about Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul's chances of making the EuroLeague Final Four this season, attributing their improved performance to a mid-season coaching change.

Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul / Schedule

Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul Virtus Segafredo Bologna88-75 LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul73-83 AS Monaco Fenerbahce Beko IstanbulFri19:30

McCollum believes that Sarunas Jasikevicius, the new head coach, has successfully unified the team, achieving what former coach Dimitris Itoudis struggled to do.

"Saras was exactly what Fener needed," McCollum said during the recent URBONUS podcast. "You're talking about a team that had a ton of talent, and I like [Dimitris] Itoudis. I think he did a great job with that roster, but I think sometimes, to wake players up, there's usually a change that needs to be made. He did everything that he could with that roster, he had them performing well. I think he was excellent with it, but there seemed to be corals or some type of disconnect within the team. I think you could see it with how they played.

"And now, with Saras, they are playing harder; they are more energetic, more aggressive, and more physical, and you can see that everyone is held to the same standard," Pinar Karsiyaka Izmir scoring ace continued. "He is going to yell at Scottie Wilbekin, he is also going to yell at that 20-year-old kid, who is getting his first Turkish League minutes. Their structure, their system... I don't know, it's just a different energy.

"Usually, players understand that when the coach leaves, after a coach is fired, if the play doesn't pick up if the performance doesn't pick up, you are next as a player," McCollum went on to say. "I think that's where you see that assertiveness and that sense of urgency have arisen. I think Fener looks excellent. They are in shape, they are in form, and I think you are going to see them continue to grow."

2-pointers this season

56%19,6Points made:19,6Accuracy:55,7%Place in standings:10Record max:29Record min:11Most made 2FGs:Johnathan MotleyTeamEuroLeagueStatisticsSchedule

McCollum kept crediting Itoudis for assembling a powerful roster that Jasikevicius has taken over and enhanced with his strategies and coaching style.

"The fact that they are still able to win games with all these injuries, with all these things that are occurring, is showing that they have a strong roster that Itoudis has put together. Saras has inherited that, and he is putting his tactics, his style," McCollum said.

"I really have a lot of respect for him [Saras] because I was not sure how things were going to go, with how [Nick] Calathes was used in Barcelona, with how Nigel [Hayes-Davis] was used in Barcelona, and you can just tell that he values winning more than everything because he came in and he didn't hold any grudges, he didn't hold any past," the veteran also noted.

"What we are doing here is now: 'Show me what you got.' And he gave ultimate freedom. I don't know if his style has evolved or if it's the roster he has been given or what, but he really gave guys a chance to show them who he was and how they fit in his team. He has been extremely fair. I think he has handled the roster excellently, and I think that's the team that has [EuroLeague] Final Four potential."

Under Itoudis, Fenerbahce started the 2023-24 EuroLeague season with a negative 6-7 record, placing them in the 11th spot in the standings when he departed.

After his exit, Saras led the team to a 9-2 record, bringing them up to 4th place.

Watch the entire URBONUS podcast with Marcus Foster and Errick McCollum:

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