Anadolu Efes unable to overcome Maccabi

In the THY EuroLeague, Anadolu Efes was defeated 95-86 by Maccabi Tel Aviv in a match played in Belgrade.

Anadolu Efes players Rodrigue Beaubois, Will Clyburn, Erkan Yılmaz, Tibor Pleiss, Ante Zizic, Elijah Bryant, and Derek Willis did not play in the match due to injuries.

Anadolu Efes started the game with a lineup of Larkin, Thompson, Erten, Ercan, and Jones, and took a 3-2 lead in the second minute with a three-pointer from Larkin. With points from Jones and Thompson, the fifth minute was reached with a score of 10-11. While Ercan and Oturu found baskets in the paint, three-pointers from Hollatz and Erten brought the score to 20-21 in the eighth minute. Efes could not score in the remaining time and finished the first 10 minutes of the match trailing 29-20. The blue-and-white team started the second period with points from Jones and Daum, bringing the score to 28-32 at the 12:30 mark. With a three-pointer from Larkin, they cut the deficit to one point in the 13th minute, prompting a timeout from the home team: 31-32. Returning from the timeout, Efes found another three-pointer through Larkin, and the score reached 34-36 in the 15th minute. After two successful free throws by Daum, Thompson scored a layup to tie the game in the 16th minute: 38-38. Following a single successful free throw by Jones, a three-pointer from Thompson gave them the lead again at 18:30: 42-41. In the remaining time, Anadolu Efes produced points through Oturu and Larkin, finishing the first half with a 48-45 lead.

Efes started the second half with two successful free throws from Thompson, and the 21st minute was reached with a score of 50-51. They took the lead again in the 22nd minute with a three-pointer from Daum: 53-51. With points from Thompson and Daum, they led 60-57 at the 27th minute. In the final three minutes of the quarter, they found two points each through Oturu and Thompson, entering the final 10 minutes of the match trailing 66-64. In the final period, Efes' first points came from Larkin at the free-throw line, bringing the score to 65-71. When the score reached 65-74 in the 32nd minute, coach Erdem Can called a timeout. Returning from the timeout, Efes brought the score to 69-78 with points from Larkin and Jones. Following points from Thompson and Daum, the score reached 79-87 in the 36th minute. Although they found points through Thompson and Daum in the final section, they could not close the gap and left the match with a 95-86 defeat.

Arena: Aleksandar Nikolic

Referees: Miguel Angel Perez (Spain), Tomasz Trawicki (Poland), Uros Obrknezevic (Serbia)

Maccabi Tel Aviv: Brown 21, Baldwin 4, Cohen 2, Nebo 8, Colson 19, Cleveland 5, Webb 14, Sorkin 8, Rivero 2, Blatt 12

Anadolu Efes: Larkin 17, Erten Gazi 3, Thompson 22, Hollatz 3, Ercan Osmani 2, Oturu 7, Daum 20, Jones 12, Burakcan Yıldızlı, Melih Tunca

1st Period: 29-20

Half-time: 45-48

3rd Period: 66-64