Anadolu Efes secured their first win of the new EuroLeague season by defeating Asvel 89-84 in Istanbul in the third round of Euroleague.
Both teams entered this match without a EuroLeague win. Asvel suffered losses against Crvena Zvezda and Partizan, while Efes was defeated by Barcelona and Real Madrid.
Efes was without the injured Elijah Bryant, Erten Gazi, and Dogus Ozdemiroglu, while coach T.J. Parker couldn’t count on David Lighty.
The first basket of the game took nearly 120 seconds to arrive when Shane Larkin hit a three-pointer for Anadolu Efes. The Turkish champions quickly built an eight-point lead by going on a 10-2 run. However, the French team did not surrender, and they fought back with their 5-0 run, maintaining an even score until the end of the first quarter (24-24).
The next 10 minutes featured a fairly balanced matchup. Anadolu Efes attempted to establish a double-digit lead, but Asvel, led by Paris Lee and Joffrey Lauvergne, managed to stay within reach. However, Efes ended the second quarter with two consecutive two-point baskets, taking an eight-point lead into halftime (43-35).
Anadolu Efes played significantly better in the third quarter. After Derek Willis‘ basket, the Turkish club took its first double-digit lead at 48-38. The Efes’ run continued, and following another three-pointer by Shane Larkin at the midpoint of the quarter, the hosts extended their lead to 18 points. With the help of a good sequence by Nando De Colo, the guests cut the deficit to 11 points. However, Rodrigue Beaubois, in his style, hit a deep three-pointer near the end of the third quarter, making the score 70-56 after 30 minutes of play.
In the final quarter, the hosts were merely doing their job because it was evident that Asvel could not make a comeback. With a three-pointer by Will Clyburn, the home team extended their lead to 15 points, and they maintained that advantage until the end. In the closing moments, De Colo hit a few long-range shots and energized his team. Several of his teammates also joined in the late push, but it was too late for a comeback. In the end, Efes secured an important victory, while the French team continued to struggle in the EuroLeague.
The leading scorer for Efes was Will Clyburn with 19 points, while Shane Larkin contributed 18. Nando De Colo led Asvel with 23 points.
ANADOLU EFES – ASVEL 89:84 (24:24, 19:11, 27:21, 19:28)
Arena: Sinan Erdem Dome, Istanbul
Referees: Perez, Petek, Konstantinovs
Anadolu Efes: Larkin 18, Beaubois 14, Tunca, Clyburn 19, Thompson 14, Pleiss, Hollatz , Osmani, Yilmaz, Willis 7, Zizic 11, Jones 6
Asvel: Scott 12, Lee 11, Kahudi, Lauvergne 13, Luwawu-Cabbarrot, E. Jackson, De Colo 25, Egbunu 2, Fall 7, Ndiaye 2, Noam, F. Jackson 9