Turkey: Arkas down regular-season leaders Halkbank at start of playoffs! Ziraat defeat Fenerbahçe

The playoff semi-final series in 2021/22 Turkish 2021/22 AXA Sigorta Efeler Ligi start today with two surprising away victories.
Out of the two away victories of lower-ranked teams in Game 1, more amazing is the one scored by No.4 Arkas Izmir, who defeat the absolute regular-season leaders Halkbank, even without losing a single set (25:27, 25:27, 22:25). Fresh from success in the Turkish Cup, Glenn Hoag’s side managed to cancel one set point in the first set and 3 in the 2nd, before closing in 3rd, with 23 points of Mirza Lagumdzija (68% and 53% efficiency in attack).

On the other game, No.3 Ziraat Bankkart also staged an upset, by beating No.2 Fenerbahce HDI Sigorta with the same result, 0-3 (22:25, 21:25, 18:25). The impact of Cuban Oreol Camejo was decisive, as he ended the game with 15 points (5 blocks, 2 aces, 57% and 57% efficiency in attack) for the Ankara side, while Bulgarian Martin Atanasov made 14 points with 76% and 71% efficiency in attack (13/17) and 13 punti, 65% and 53% efficiency in attack, 1 block and 1 ace for Ter Maat. Coach Castellani’s guys, on the other hand, were penalized by negative performance of opposite Metin Toy (33% and -6% efficiency in attack).

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🏐| AXA Sigorta Efeler Ligi 2021/22 – Semifinals – best-of-three

| Game 1 | April 18, 2022

• Halkbank Ankara – Arkasspor Izmir 0-3 (25:27, 25:27, 22:25)
Halkbank: Keskin 5, Bruno 12, Karasu 6, Hernandez Ramos 20, Bayram 2, Vigrass 8, Done (L); Aslan Eksi 0, Vucicevic O, Ergul (L), Cam 0, Gulmezoglu 6. Not entered: Aydin. Coach: Atik.
Arkas: Kiyak 2, Hoag 13, McDonnell 7, Subasi 10, Lagumdzija 23, Cengiz 3, Dengin (L); Ondes 0, Gabriel Candido O. Not entered: Avci, Cevik (L), Ay, Kurtulus, Hamarat. Coach: Glenn Hoag.

• Fenerbahce HDI Sigorta – Ziraat Bankkart Ankara 0-3 (22:25, 21:25, 18:25)
Fenerbahce: Marouf 3, Louati 9, Tumer 7, Toy 8, Hidalgo 16, Batur O, Yesilbudak (L); Gurbuz 6, Mert (L), Sikar O. Not entered: Unver, Erden, Kya, Stanicki. Coach: Castellani.
Ziraat: Arslan Eksi 1, Atanasov 14, Bulbul 7, Ter Maat 13, Camejo 15, Gunes 5, Bayraktar (L); Yucel O. Not entered: Ertugrul Tokgoz (L), Akkus, Tuinstra, Baltaci, Gedik.
Coach: Kavaz.

| Game 2 | April 21, 2022
• Arkas Spor Izmir (4) – Halkbank
Ankara (1) 2-3 (22:25, 25:23, 25:23, 19:25, 13:15) Serie: 1-1
• Ziraat Bankkart Ankara (3) – Fenerbahce HDI Sigorta Istanbul (2) 3-0 (25:20, 25:22, 25:16) Serie: 2-0

Game 3 | April 24, 2022
• Halkbank Ankara (1) – Arkasspor Izmir (4) 3-1 (25:21, 22:25, 26:24, 25:11) Serie: 2-1

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