By Eurohoops Team/ info@eurohoops.net
In control from start to finish and ballooning the advantage over 20 points in the third quarter, Anadolu Efes sent a message to remaining contenders for a spot in the Play-Ins of the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague.
Going up to 15-17 in the Regular Season, the Turkiye champions routed Baskonia, 97-76, in Fernando Buesa Arena on Thursday night.
On the wrong end, the hosts missed the chance to extend a winning streak at home to five EuroLeague games and clinch a spot in the postseason.
Besides reaching milestones with 500 three-pointers and 250 steals in his EuroLeague career, Shane Larkin dropped a game-high 28 points behind 8/13 field goals on his first team in Europe’s premier club continental competition. The league leader in performance index rating added more to his tally recording 29 in Vitoria-Gasteiz.
“We have a veteran group. We got a lot of new guys, but they have all grown during the season. We all understood the importance of this game. From the very beginning, we came out with intensity on the defensive end, stayed focused, did not let their shooters get going,” said the two-time EuroLeague champion, “We got a big win.”
Will Clyburn chipped in 20 more points. Connecting three triples, a tenth consecutive continental outing with at least one three-pointer for the 33-year-old forward. “We knew what we were fighting for. Everybody is locked in and on the same page,” he described further strengthening the bid to qualify for the Play-Ins.
A new season-high for Ercan Osmani with 15 points, including ten in the third quarter as his side confidently went into a safe distance. A third consecutive EuroLeague win and fifth in a row across all competitions for the team guided by Tomislav Mijatovic. Only a third winning effort over 16 showings. Erten Gazi (left toe surgery), Dogus Ozdemiroglu (knee surgery), Ridvan Oncel, Burak Yildizli, and Mike Daum were out.
“Our guys did a tremendous job. I can’t say enough nice words and praises about our players,” reacted Mijatovic, “They fought, denying every pass. They were pressuring the ball. We got some steals, touches and deflections, which led to easy points. We played against a great team. A team that at home plays very energetically. And we were able to overmatch that energy at times.”
Leading the EuroLeague in makes from beyond the arc and ranking second on the scoring list, Markus Howard drew up a team-high 15 points with 2/8 triples in a fourth straight loss across all competitions. Individual streaks snapped featured Codi Miller-McIntyre dishing out less than five assists after eight such performances in a row, Chima Moneke coming off double-digits in points over 11 straight games, and Vanja Marinkovic scoring over ten points for ten consecutive affairs.
Down to 16-16 with a third straight defeat and falling out of contention for a direct ticket in the Playoffs, head coach Dusko Ivanovic focuses on securing a Play-In berth. Jordan Theodore and Sander Raieste did not play in Round 32. Khalifa Diop (left wrist surgery) remained the only player on the injury list.
“In the second half, we did not play any defense. We made so many turnovers in offense. Efes played strong on defense. They played better,” confessed Ivanovic after a seventh loss in 17 home affairs through the 2023-24 edition of the EuroLeague.
Istanbul derby and Real Madrid
In the penultimate Round 33 of the Regular Season, Efes takes on Fenerbahce Beko next Friday. Tied with Fener on top of the Turkiye Sigorta Basketbol Super Ligi table, moving to Round 25 of the Regular Season brings up a home fixture opposite Aliaga Petkimspor on Tuesday, before the direct meeting of the Istanbul rivals at the continental stage.
Before visiting top-seeded Real Madrid in Round 33 of the EuroLeague Regular Season next Friday, the team based in Vitoria-Gasteiz welcomes Casademont Zaragoza, hoping to jump to 15-12 and potentially reach the Playoffs zone of Spain’s Liga Endesa on Saturday.