Kahramanmaras delivered one of the more convincing road performances of the Turkish Basketball First League round on Sunday night, defeating Balikesir Buyuksehir 79-69 at a lively Balikesir hall. The visitors controlled the middle two quarters, built a double-digit cushion, and then answered every late Balikesir run with timely shooting and disciplined half-court defense.

Match overview

The final scoreline of 79-69 reflected a game that was competitive early but increasingly one-sided after halftime. Balikesir opened with good energy in front of their home support, but Kahramanmaras settled quickly and never trailed again after the opening minutes. The quarter-by-quarter flow told the story of a road team that got stronger as the game wore on.

• First quarter: Balikesir Buyuksehir 18-22 Kahramanmaras
• Second quarter: Balikesir Buyuksehir 17-19 Kahramanmaras
• Third quarter: Balikesir Buyuksehir 16-20 Kahramanmaras
• Fourth quarter: Balikesir Buyuksehir 18-18 Kahramanmaras
• Final score: Balikesir Buyuksehir 69-79 Kahramanmaras

How the game was won

Kahramanmaras set the tone with a patient offense that refused to force low-percentage shots. Their guards repeatedly attacked the paint off ball screens, drawing help defenders and creating open looks on the perimeter. When Balikesir collapsed inside, the visitors made the extra pass; when the defense stayed home, Kahramanmaras finished at the rim. That balance kept the home side guessing for all four quarters.

The decisive stretch arrived in the third quarter. Leading by six at the break, Kahramanmaras opened the second half with a 10-2 run that pushed the advantage into double figures. Balikesir called timeout, but the momentum had already shifted. Kahramanmaras’s defensive rotations were sharp, and their rebounding at both ends limited second-chance opportunities for the home team.

Tactical story

Balikesir Buyuksehir’s best basketball came in transition, where their wings could run and finish before the defense set. But Kahramanmaras did an excellent job of getting back and forcing the home side into half-court possessions. In the half court, Balikesir struggled to generate clean looks against a compact defensive shell, and their three-point shooting was streaky at best.

On offense, Kahramanmaras leaned on their captain, Serkan Yılmaz, who orchestrated the attack with composure. Yılmaz finished with a team-high 19 points and 7 assists, consistently finding the right pass against traps and switches. Inside, center Baran Koç added 14 points and 11 rebounds, giving the visitors a reliable interior presence on both ends.

For Balikesir, guard Kerem Aydın fought hard for 17 points, while forward Tolga Demirel chipped in 13 points and 8 rebounds. But the home team’s supporting cast struggled to score consistently, and too many empty possessions in the third quarter proved costly.

Standout players

• Serkan Yılmaz (Kahramanmaras): 19 points, 7 assists, 3 steals — the engine of the road win.
• Baran Koç (Kahramanmaras): 14 points, 11 rebounds, 2 blocks — dominant on the glass.
• Kerem Aydın (Balikesir Buyuksehir): 17 points, 4 rebounds — kept the home side within reach.
• Tolga Demirel (Balikesir Buyuksehir): 13 points, 8 rebounds — active but foul trouble limited his minutes.

Season impact

The victory strengthens Kahramanmaras’s position in the Turkish Basketball First League standings and adds a valuable road win to their resume. For Balikesir Buyuksehir, the defeat is a missed opportunity to protect home court, and it puts added pressure on upcoming fixtures. The two teams will meet again later in the season, and on this evidence the head-to-head rematch should be a much tighter affair if Balikesir can clean up their half-court execution.