Turkey: Halkbank overturn semifinal series with Arkas and will play Ankara derby in finals for first time in 26 years!

2 min read

24 April 2022 Ivan

A great Halkbank Ankara managed to overturn the semi-final series of the 2021/22 AXA Sigorta Efeler Ligi against Arkas Spor to join Ziraat Bankkart in the finals.

For the second time in history, the first dates back to 1996, it will be the Ankara derby between Halkbank and Ziraat for the title!
Taner Atik’s team, the regular season winners, after losing Game 1, managed to overturn the series with No.4 Arkas, winning the decisive Game 3 with a score of 3-1 (25:21, 22:25, 26:24, 25:11).

It wasn’t easy for Halkbank, as in the third set had to recover from 12-16 and cancel a set point before taking the lead in sets of 2-1.
After that, Arkas collapsed.
Serbian Božidar Vučićević top-scored the winners with 15 points, but the head coach Atik decided to replace him at one point in the third set with Cuban Fernando Hernández, the designated starter, and he was in the field until the end.
Canadian Graham Vigrass also contributed with 6 winning blocks.

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🏐| AXA Sigorta Efeler Ligi 2021/22 – Semifinals

best-of-three

| Game 1 | April 18, 2022
• Halkbank Ankara (1) – Arkasspor Izmir (4) 0-3 (25:27, 25:27, 22:25)
• Fenerbahce HDI Sigorta (2) – Ziraat Bankkart Ankara (3) 0-3 (22:25, 21:25, 18:25)

| 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)

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