Partizan suffered one of the heaviest defeats in its history, as Anadolu Efes dominated with a 97:65 victory at the Belgrade Arena in Round 30 of the EuroLeague. The black-and-whites now hold a 15-15 record, while their opponent improved to 16-14.
Mitar Bosnjakovic and Mario Nakic were unavailable for the home team, while Salih Altunas was absent for the visitors.
Partizan had a poor start. It was evident that Zeljko Obradovic wanted his team to create offense through pick-and-roll plays, but little went their way in the opening minutes. The home side committed turnovers, while on the other end, Darius Thompson quickly scored eight points, leading Anadolu Efes to a 10:2 advantage.
Obradovic reacted by subbing out Aleksej Pokusevski, who struggled defensively. Isiaha Mike entered the game, bringing some positive changes for the “steamroller.” However, despite Partizan managing to equalize, Mike quickly found himself in foul trouble, picking up his third personal foul. Meanwhile, Elijah Bryant was playing excellently for the visitors. P.J. Dozier then hit a transition three-pointer to put Anadolu Efes up 24:16, forcing Obradovic to call a timeout. By the end of the first quarter, Partizan added only two more points, failing to pose a serious threat (18:24).
Partizan lacked a clear plan in the second quarter as well. Isaac Bonga tried to keep his team in the game with two three-pointers, but they were forced shots rather than well-constructed attempts, highlighting the team’s lack of fluid offense. Defensive struggles made matters worse. Anadolu Efes dominated the offensive glass, and their relentless backcourt tormented the Belgrade team. With six minutes left in the first half, Partizan trailed by 11 (26:37), foreshadowing an absolute disaster.
At one point, Anadolu Efes had made 11 of 12 two-point attempts—undeniable proof of Partizan’s indifferent defense. Additionally, the black-and-whites struggled from the free-throw line, with Carlik Jones in particular enduring a nightmare performance, hitting just one of five attempts. That summed up Partizan’s first 20 minutes. It was no surprise that Luca Banchi’s team built a 22-point lead at one point and went into halftime with a commanding 21-point advantage (54:33), drawing rare whistles of frustration from Partizan’s fans—likely for the first time this season.
Unforced turnovers became synonymous with Partizan’s performance in this game. Anadolu Efes kept widening the wounds of the home team, while Partizan failed to show any resolve or a clearer approach in the third quarter. The agony continued. The support from the stands remained strong, but it was in vain. The disaster became even more evident when Thompson hit another three-pointer, extending Banchi’s squad’s lead to 32 points. By the time the final quarter began, Anadolu Efes was up 73:45.
In the fourth quarter, Obradovic decided to give playing time to those who had not featured much, allowing the starters to rest. A miraculous comeback was unrealistic, and the hosts had to shift their focus to the challenges ahead. If they continue playing like this in the remaining four rounds, their chances of making the postseason—even mathematically—will be slim.
Darius Thompson led the winners with 19 points, followed by Elijah Bryant with 18. On the opposing side, Tyrique Jones, Frank Ntilikina, and Isaac Bonga each scored 11 points.
Next week brings a double-round schedule: Partizan will host Alba Berlin and visit Bayern, while Anadolu Efes will welcome Baskonia and Maccabi Tel Aviv.
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