Turkey: Halkbank and Gebze keep rolling, Ziraat Bankkart and Fenerbahçe claim key wins and the others of Round 3

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The third round of 2026/27 Türkiye’s SMS Grup Efeler Ligi delivered a varied programme on Tuesday, with three matches going the distance and four teams securing victories in straight sets or four sets. Halkbank and Gebze Belediyesi Spor continued their perfect starts, while Ziraat Bankkart recovered from a tightly contested second set to defeat Gaziantep Gençlik Spor. Fenerbahçe Medicana also returned to winning ways with a convincing performance against On Hotels Alanya Belediyespor.

The day opened with a dramatic Istanbul derby between İstanbul Gençlik Spor and İBB Spor Kulübü, ended at tie break, 3-2 (20:25, 25:20, 25:19, 26:28, 15:11). İBB took the first set 25–20, but the home side responded strongly, winning the next two sets 25–20 and 25–19 to move ahead. İBB refused to give in, edging the fourth set 28–26 to force a decider. İstanbul Gençlik ultimately prevailed 15–11 after two hours and 24 minutes of play. The match produced an exceptional scoring duel between opposite hitters Krisztián Pádár and Ali Fazlı, who finished with 29 points apiece. İstanbul Gençlik also held a clear advantage in attack points, 66–54, and blocks, 20 to 10. Despite the defeat, İBB collected a valuable point from a demanding away fixture.
Halkbank made a strong statement in İzmir, sweeping Altekma 3–0 (25:20, 25:12, 25:22). After a competitive opening set, the Ankara powerhouse took firm control of the match, particularly in the second set, in which Altekma managed just 12 points. Halkbank dominated at the net, recording 13 blocks to Altekma’s two, and finished with a 33–34 difference in attack points that reflected the importance of its defensive pressure. Brazilian opposite Darlan Souza led the winners with 12 points, while Jackson Young was Altekma’s top scorer with 11. The result extended Halkbank’s perfect record to three wins from three matches and eight points in the standings.
Gebze Belediyesi Spor also maintained its unbeaten run, defeating Sultanbeyli Belediyespor 3–0 (25:17, 25:18, 25:22). Gebze controlled the first two sets before facing a more competitive challenge in the third, where Sultanbeyli came closer but could not prevent the visitors from completing the sweep. The victory strengthened Gebze’s position among the early leaders, following its wins over Akedaş Onikişubat Belediyespor and Sungurlu Belediyespor in the opening rounds.
Galatasaray Madeş Mobilya earned a valuable 3–1 away win against Sungurlu Belediyespor (26:24, 25:19, 19:25, 25:21). The opening set was the turning point: Galatasaray edged a close finish at 26–24 and then doubled its advantage with a more controlled second set. Sungurlu responded in the third, winning 25–19 to keep the contest alive, but the visitors regained control in the fourth to close out the match. Galatasaray outside hitter Stephen Maar led all scorers with 21 points, while Sungurlu’s Oskar Espeland finished with 18. The visitors’ advantage in attack points, 68–42, proved decisive, despite Sungurlu recording more blocks, 10–7. The match drew 1,100 spectators at the Mahmut Atalay Sports Hall in Çorum.
Ziraat Bankkart strengthened its position with a 3–1 victory over Gaziantep Gençlik Spor (25:21, 24:26, 25:17, 25:18). Ziraat took the opening set, but Gaziantep fought back to claim the second 26–24 and level the match. The response from the Ankara side was emphatic: Ziraat regained the lead with a seven-point win in the third set and maintained its momentum in the fourth. Trevor Clévenot was the home team’s leading scorer with 27 points, while Samuel Jeanlys contributed 21 for Gaziantep. Ziraat also had the edge in attack points, 63–49, and blocks, 9–6, to secure its second win of the season.
Fenerbahçe Medicana produced one of the day’s most straightforward results, beating On Hotels Alanya Belediyespor 3–0 (25:23, 25:20, 25:18). The opening set was closely contested, but Fenerbahçe gradually established control and pulled away in the following two. Opposite Kaan Gürbüz led the winners with 21 points, while Nazar Hetman was Alanya’s leading scorer with 12. Fenerbahçe finished with a 40–28 advantage in attack points, while both teams recorded six blocks. The result was an important response after Fenerbahçe’s five-set victory over Gaziantep in the previous round. Alanya, meanwhile, suffered its first defeat after winning its opening two matches.
The final five-set encounter of the day took place in Kahramanmaraş, where Akedaş Onikişubat Belediyespor defeated Spor Toto 3–2 (17:25, 25:19, 25:21, 15:25, 15:12). Spor Toto started strongly and took the first set, but the hosts turned the match around by winning the next two. The visitors responded with a dominant fourth set, forcing a decider in which Onikişubat held its nerve to secure the victory 15–12. Opposite Gabriel José da Silva Cândido led the home side with 26 points, while Spor Toto’s Jesús Herrera Jaime scored 17. Onikişubat finished ahead in attack points, 62–49, while the teams were level at 11 blocks apiece. The win gave the hosts their first league victory of the season after defeats in their opening two fixtures.

After three rounds, Gebze Belediyesi Spor remained top of the standings with nine points, followed by Halkbank on eight. On Hotels Alanya Belediyespor, Galatasaray Madeş Mobilya and İBB Spor Kulübü were next on six points, while Ziraat Bankkart and Fenerbahçe Medicana moved to five. With the season still in its early stages, the results offered an initial indication of the competitive balance across the league: Gebze and Halkbank have made the strongest starts, while the established contenders are already working to keep pace.
The fourth round is scheduled for Saturday, 31 October, with Halkbank hosting Akedaş Onikişubat Belediyespor, Gebze facing İstanbul Gençlik Spor, and On Hotels Alanya Belediyespor taking on Ziraat Bankkart among the fixtures.

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🇹🇷| 2026/27 SMS Grup Efeler Ligi | Hafta 3 | Round 3

👉🏼Tuesday October 27, 2026
• 14.00 (Local Time) | İstanbul Gençlik Spor – İBB Spor Kulübü 3-2 (20:25, 25:20, 25:19, 26:28, 15:11)
• 15.00 (Local Time) | Altekma – Halkbank 0-3 (20:25, 12:25, 22:25)
• 16.00 (Local Time) | Sultanbeyli Belediyespor – Gebze Belediyesi Spor 0-3 (17:25, 18:25, 22:25)
• 16.30 (Local Time) | Sungurlu Belediyespor – Galatasaray Madeş Mobilya 1-3 (24:26, 19:25, 25:19, 21:25)
• 19.00 (Local Time) | Ziraat Bankkart – Gaziantep Gençlik voleybol 3-1 (25:21, 24:26, 25:17, 25:18)
• 19.00 (Local Time) | Fenerbahçe Medicana – ON Hotels Alanya Belediyespor 3-0 (25:23, 25:20, 25:18)
• 19.00 (Local Time) | Akedaş Onikişubat Belediye Spor – Spor Toto 3-2 (17:25, 25:19, 25:21, 15:25, 15:12)

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🏐| STANDINGS (updated on this day)
1. Gebze Belediyesi Spor 9
2. Ziraat Bankkart 8
3. Halkbank 8
4. Galatasaray Madeş Mobilya 6
5. İBB Spor Kulübü 6
6. Fenerbahçe Medicana 5
7. ON Hotels Alanya Belediyespor 3
8. Altekma 3
9. İstanbul Gençlik Spor 3
10. Akedaş Onikişubat Belediye Spor 2
11. Spor Toto 2
12. Gaziantep Gençlik voleybol 1
13. Sultanbeyli Belediyespor 1
14. Sungurlu Belediyespor 0

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🏐| NEXT GAMES | Hafta 4 | Round 4

Saturday October 31, 2026
• 13.00 (Local Time) | Halkbank – Akedaş Onikişubat Belediye Spor
• 14.00 (Local Time) | Gebze Belediyesi Spor – İstanbul Gençlik Spor
• 16.00 (Local Time) | Spor Toto – Sungurlu Belediyespor
• 16.00 (Local Time) | ON Hotels Alanya Belediyespor – Ziraat Bankkart
• 16.00 (Local Time) | Gaziantep Gençlik voleybol – Altekma
• 16.30 (Local Time) | İBB Spor Kulübü – Fenerbahçe Medicana
• 19.00 (Local Time) | Galatasaray Madeş Mobilya – Sultanbeyli Belediyespor

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