Carlos Arroyo

Financial problems have taken another toll on Galatasaray Liv Hospital, with the team's star point guard announcing his departure due to a dispute over his payments.

Puerto Rican star Carlos Arroyo reportedly asked the club to pay $550,000 in unpaid wages, saying he would leave if they did not, but the club said it "will not bow to blackmail."

Galatasaray Liv Hospital players refused to attend a team training session late Jan. 19 in protest at a delay in wage payments.

The squad was present at the first training session earlier in the day, but a second training session was canceled after the players said they would boycott it.

In front of a sell-out crowd of more than 10,000 fans at Ankara Arena Team Europe defeated Team Asia 138-130 in the Turkish Basketball League All-Star Jan. 18.

The game featured 24 players from eight different countries, with teams comprised of the stars of Turkish Basketball League's (TBL) Europe- and Asia-based clubs.

Galatasaray Liv Hospital beat Serbia's Red Star 65-74 Jan. 16 in a Turkish Airlines Euroleague Last 16 game marred by the murder of a Serbian fan in November.

The 24 best athletes of the Turkish Basketball League (TBL) from eight different nations are set to enjoy the All-Star game festivities in Ankara that kick off on Jan. 18.

Players competing for TBL clubs based in Europe will take on representatives of the league's Asian-based clubs.

Defending Turkish men’s basketball league champion Galatasaray Liv Hospital is one win away from the finals, following its victory over Banvit on May 28.

The Istanbul team used its home-court advantage to beat Banvit, the regular season leaders, and won the game 67-61 to take a 2-1 lead in the best-of-five semifinal series.