By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
Elijah Bryant scored 20 points, Darius Thompson added 18 against his former team and once more Rodrigue Beaubois made things happen with 16.
Despite still missing Shane Larkin, this was almost a vintage night for Anadolu Efes who got the 89-84 road win over Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz.
The game was decided on a 9-2 run during the last 80 seconds of the game, which started with a big three by Thompson and was sealed with his two free throws, while Bryant added also four points in the run.
“Every match is very important in the EuroLeague, so it’s great to win on the road like this”, said Bryant, “We will enjoy this victory and focus on the Real Madrid match from tomorrow.”
On the losing side, Chima Moneke scored 22 points but had just 1/6 threes, Khelifa Diop added 13 points and Markus Howard was scoreless in 20 minutes of action, just his second career game with no points in the EuroLeague.
After this result, Efes moved to a 5-4 record and Baskonia dropped to 4-5.
A real thriller
Efes led at the end of the first quarter (24-21), at halftime (46-39) and entering the last period (65-63). However, the distance was always close and everything was possible.
With the game on the line, Baskonia even led 77-74 with Trent Forrest making one of two free throws and Diop scoring a bucket.
Bryant and Thompson gave the lead back to Efes (78-77) only for Chima Moneke to score (79-78) and then Vincent Poirier who had in total 11 points to put Efes up again by one (80-79).
Moneke missed a three, but Diop got the offensive rebound and Tadas Sedekerskis with a three made the score 82-80 for Baskonia with less than two minutes left. That proved to be the last time the hosts were up in the score…
Photo credit: EuroLeague