Crvena Zvezda secured a win on their home court against Anadolu Efes with a score of 97-83 in the context of the EuroLeague and the 11th round.
The home team played without Adam Hanga and Ognjen Kuzmic, while the guests were missing Elijah Bryant, Dogus Ozdemiroğlu, Tibor Pleiss, Derek Willis, and Ante Zizic.
The game started evenly and at a fast pace. It seemed that such a tempo suited both teams, and neither Crvena Zvezda nor Anadolu Efes could significantly pull ahead. However, things changed at the end of the second quarter when the red and whites faltered, and the visiting team took a nine-point lead. The first half could have ended differently if Nemanja Nedovic had converted a layup to reduce the deficit to six points, but he missed the opportunity.
Anadolu Efes threatened to build a significant lead until a technical foul on Nedovic first energized the crowd and then motivated the Red and White guard. What followed was a sequence in which he scored 14 points, completely turning the tide of the game. The Belgrade team comfortably maintained their lead and emerged victorious.
Top scorers for the winners were Nedovic with 23 points and Luka Mitrovic with 19 points. Shane Larkin led the guests with 21 points.
In the next round, Crvena Zvezda will visit Valencia, while Anadolu Efes will host Panathinaikos.
Crvena Zvezda faltered in the closing minutes of the 2nd quarter
It was clear that Crvena Zvezda could not afford a slow start to the duel, as it would expend much-needed energy crucial for such imperative matches. This did not happen as the Serbian team played at an exceptional pace. Yago dos Santos made an excellent entrance into the game, firing up the crowd with a long-range three-pointer. On the other side, guests, especially Shane Larkin and Will Clyburn, responded in kind.
The home team, however, was not deterred and had a better start to the second quarter, followed by a temporary stall. Nevertheless, the tactic of having three playmakers allowed the Red and Whites to run and catch the opponent off guard in transition. Mitrovic continued his early offensive rebounding impact, causing trouble for Anadolu Efes, and they entered the final stages of the first half with a double-digit lead. Afterward, the team from Belgrade struggled, both defensively and offensively. However, Milos Teodosic somewhat improved the situation with a tough three-pointer, reducing the deficit to minus six before halftime.
Nemanja Nedovic’s dance
In the same rhythm, Mitrovic continued his dominance in the third quarter. The impression was marred by a technical foul he received, his third personal foul. Subsequently, Nemanja Nedovic also received a technical, and it seemed that the protests from the Red and Whites were justified in both cases, but not the referee’s decisions. This situation angered Nedovic, who was motivated and responded with two consecutive three-pointers, reducing the home team’s deficit to half a point. It was just a preview of the new exploits of the Serbian guard, who didn’t stop there. With a basket and a foul, along with another successful long-range shot, he brought Crvena Zvezda to a plus seven. With the entry of Shabazz Napier, the home team lost its rhythm, allowing the Turkish team to come within minus two.
Ioannis Sfairopoulos’s team responded instantly. With a 6-0 run, they opened the last 10 minutes, taking an eight-point lead after an incredible assist from Teodosic. Stefan Lazarevic then hit a shot from mid-range, while the opponent’s attacks became increasingly senseless. Anadolu Efes couldn’t turn the game around and complicate the situation, allowing Crvena Zvezda to secure their fifth win in the competition.
CRVENA ZVEZDA – ANADOLU EFES 97:83 (22:21, 21:28, 29:21, 25:13)
Venue: “Stark arena”, Beograd; Referees: Paternico, Cortes, Baena.
Crvena zvezda: Lazarevic 2, Teodosic 9, Davidovac 2, Mitrovic 19, Lazic, Simonovic, Napier 7, Tobey 5, Bolomboy 13, Nedovic 23, Giedraitis 2, Dos Santos 15.
Anadolu Efes: Larkin 21, Beaubois 13, Altuntas, Gazi, Clyburn 17, Thompson 9, Yildizli, Hollatz, Osmani, Daum 10, Yilmaz 6, Jones 7.