In the 12th round of the Turkish Super League, Besiktas defeated Anadolu Efes, narrowing the gap to just one victory from the top spot.
The team led by coach Dusan Alimpijevic dominated the majority of the game, resulting in a well-deserved triumph.
Besiktas took control of the game towards the end of the first quarter, establishing a seven-point lead with a run of 11:2, bringing the score to 21:14. The home team quickly extended their advantage to a double-digit lead, but the guests managed to somewhat narrow the gap by the end of the first half, with a score of 49:36.
Besiktas had the opportunity to practically seal the victory in the middle of the third quarter when they led 60:48. However, Anadolu Efes, with a 12:2 run, hinted at a potentially uncertain ending (62:54). Erdem Can‘s team remained within “two possessions” until a minute and a half before the end of the game when Alimpijevic’s team secured the victory with successful free throw conversions.
Derek Needham was the top scorer for Besiktas with 19 points, while the standout player for Anadolu Efes was newcomer Daniel Oturu with 25 points.
Besiktas is now in third place in the Turkish Super League standings with a record of 9-3 (tied with Karsiyaka). Anadolu Efes remains the leader with a performance of 10 wins and 2 losses.
In the upcoming round, Besiktas will be visiting Galatasaray, while Anadolu Efes is set to face Turk Telekom.