Ros Casares came agonisingly close to taking Fenerbahce into overtime on Wednesday but in the end were on the wrong end of a 71-68 scoreline.

It ensured the Turks finish top of Group C with an eight wins while Ros Casares qualify with a 6-4 record.

When DeLisha Milton made a lay-up with just over three minutes to play, she gave the Spanish club a 64-63 lead but Germany star Linda Frohlich replied with a lay-up and Birsel Vadarli added a jump shot to put Fener 67-64 ahead.

		DeLisha Milton had a game-high 22 points for Ros Casares.

Malgorzata Dydek’s jumper reduced the arrears to 67-66, but with just less than a minute to play, two Frohlich free throws made it 69-66 to the visitors.

Elena Tornikidou, Ros Casares’ 41-year-old tower of power, then drained a jump shot to make it a one-point game.

Scoring machine Cappie Pondexter converted two free throws from the charity stripe to make it 71-68 and then Spanish international Laia Palau missed what would have been a game-tying bucket on the buzzer.

American Milton was outstanding in defeat with 22 points and 17 rebounds, both game high figures, and she had good support from Dydek (15) and Elisa Aguilar (10).

Frohlich poured in 16 while Pondexter added 15 for the Turkish-based squad, who also had double digit efforts from Nevriye Yilmaz (12) and Saziye Karsli (11).

Fenerbahce showed what good free throw shooting can do for a team’s chances.

They made 18 of 20 (90%) for the game, making amends for a poor night shooting the ball inside the arc (19 of 48 for 39.5%).